The European Commission will call on member states to step up their fight against poverty, arguing that national governments already have the necessary resources at their disposal – but are failing to use them effectively on Wednesday. Rather than unlocking new funding, Brussels wants a smarter redistribution and better use of existing EU pots, according to a draft strategy seen by journalists.
No new cash, but a new approach
The Commission’s first-ever poverty reduction blueprint proposes that countries should better coordinate domestic policies, engage more young people, and support those living “pay cheque to pay cheque.” The document also envisages a rethink of how the bloc protects the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
However, with no fresh money attached to the plan, critics have warned that it will go nowhere unless the EU backs it with targeted financing and strengthens the Commission’s role in enforcing commitments.
The strategy is set to be unveiled alongside initiatives to cut child poverty, reduce social exclusion, and safeguard the rights of people with disabilities. Brussels insists that funding has already been allocated – it is the member states that are spending it inefficiently. An unnamed EU official noted that the bloc’s new long-term budget allocates around €100bn to social policy, double the previous €50bn under the European Social Fund Plus. The problem, the official argued, is not the volume of money but how it is used.
Critics remain unconvinced. “No money, no strategy. How are we supposed to implement it if funding isn’t a priority?” said Giuliana Valgren, director of the European Anti-Poverty Network.
EU off track to hit 2030 and 2050 poverty goals
The EU’s goal – to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty by at least 15 million by 2030 and to eradicate the problem entirely by 2050 – is not on track. In 2025, 20.9% of the EU population remained below the poverty threshold, barely changed from 21.1% in 2019. National trends vary widely. In Romania and Bulgaria, the share of people at risk has fallen by about a third over the past decade, while richer countries have seen it rise.
In Germany, the figure climbed from 17.3% in 2019 to 21.2% last year. Over the same period, support has surged for the nationally oriented Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), particularly following the 2016 migration crisis.
Meanwhile, Bild reported a growing desire among young Germans to leave the country: 21% have already decided to go, and 41% are considering it, citing the high cost of living, fear of poverty, housing shortages and psychological pressure as their main reasons.
