The report by João Oliveira, presented today at the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, aims to have poverty recognized as “a violation of human and peoples’ rights” and calls for its eradication “by no later than 2035.”
The MEP advocates for greater investment in policies that help “break the cycles of poverty,” such as education, healthcare, social protection, and universal access to decent housing, water and sanitation, energy, transport, and cultural and leisure activities.
The report also recommends that the European Commission and Member States “explore the creation of an instrument to combat poverty through the universal realization of the right to work and the goal of full employment, primarily addressing unemployment and underemployment.”
João Oliveira argues that the Commission should propose “an initiative on an adequate minimum income that ensures active social and labor inclusion and contributes to poverty eradication, respecting the Member States’ competencies, national specificities of social protection systems, and the principle of subsidiarity.”
According to the proposal, Member States should develop national action plans to implement the strategy.
Regarding funding, the MEP emphasizes strengthening the next multiannual financial framework (2028-2024) and better use of social funds to reinforce policies contributing to poverty eradication.
The report recommends that the funding for the Child Guarantee should have a specific budget of at least 20 billion euros.
Report data indicates that in 2024, 93.3 million people in the EU (21.0% of the population) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, a figure higher for women than men (21.9% compared to 20.0%).
Additionally, 21.9% of the EU population living in households with dependent children was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024.
There have been setbacks in some areas at the EU level in recent years, with child poverty rising from 23.6% in 2019 to 24.2% in 2024, and the effectiveness of social protection in poverty reduction declining from 37.1% to 34.4% between 2021 and 2024.
The report is being debated today, and a period runs until July 2 for other committee MEPs to submit amendment proposals.
MEPs Isilda Gomes (PS) and Sérgio Humberto (PSD) are also full members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.
