European Parliament’s Anti-Poverty Strategy Report: Civil Society Coalition demands strong approval in plenary

Joint statement by the Coalition on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy

On 3 December 2025, the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL Committee) adopted its position on the INI report Developing a New EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. The report, led by MEP João Oliveira (The Left), sends a strong message to the European Commission: the forthcoming EU Anti-Poverty Strategy must be comprehensive, ambitious, adequately funded, and anchored in meaningful targets towards the eradication of poverty.

The Coalition on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy urges Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to uphold this level of ambition during the plenary vote scheduled for January 2026.

In 2026, the European Commission is set to present the first-ever, and long-awaited, EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. Its launch comes at a critical moment: at least 93.3 million people in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024, or 21% of the population. In recent years, the drivers of poverty have grown increasingly complex, shaped by the impacts of, among others, an unsustainable economic model, the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, the digital transition, anti-rights mobilisation targeting vulnerable communities, and the climate crisis, without, so far, any adequate and ambitious policy response at the EU level.

By calling on the European Commission to recognise poverty as undermining fundamental rights, and to put forward concrete measures and targets to work towards the eradication of poverty, the EMPL Committee report can be crucial to influence the shaping of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy.

As signatories, we welcome the position the EMPL report is taking toward an ambitious EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. 

Among the key milestones, the report urges the Commission to propose comprehensive measures tackling the root causes and multidimensionality of poverty. It puts forward concrete requests, including the need for meaningful participation of people experiencing poverty, a Commission proposal for an  EU Directive on Minimum Income, and decisive action to address the cost of living crisis and to ensure access to affordable essential goods and services, including food, energy, water, and housing. 

In addition, the report correctly recognises that women, racialised people, LGBTQIA+ people, older and younger people, undocumented people, migrants, Roma people, Travellers, people with disabilities, people discriminated against because of their religion or beliefs, and single parents are disproportionately affected by poverty, in addition to the intersection with other forms of human rights violations and discrimination. It also recognises that homelessness is the most extreme manifestation of poverty and that it should be a priority issue in the forthcoming Strategy. 

However, despite these positive inclusions, the EP report falls short of proposing concrete solutions to address the barriers faced by the aforementioned vulnerable groups. Moreover, it omits reference to groups that experience disproportionate impacts within these categories, such as trans and intersex people, and how this should be addressed in the framework of the Union of Equality, including the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2026-2030 and the forthcoming Anti-Racism Strategy and Gender Equality Strategy.

Finally, as negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034 are moving forward, the report provides key guidance to policymakers. It calls for allocating adequate resources to support the eradication of poverty, including dedicated funding to support people experiencing poverty through the climate and digital transitions, targeted earmarking to fight child poverty, and sustained investment in high-quality public and not-for-profit social services.

The action of the European Commission against poverty has long focused on employment and socio-economic measures. Crucial initiatives like the EU Minimum Wage Directive and the Platform Work Directive still need to be fully implemented in the EU. The report from the European Parliament will be key in going beyond employment-focused measures, by shaping a comprehensive, ambitious, adequately funded Strategy, anchored in meaningful targets and leading towards the eradication of poverty.

However, we regret that initial proposals of the rapporteur related to fair taxation and redistribution of income and wealth were weakened across the negotiations. Working towards the eradication of poverty requires transformative action, including a shift on taxation systems. Missing this point would cruelly undermine any EU-led action.

As the final report will be voted during the week of 26 January in plenary, our call is clear: MEPs should aim for a final strong backing of the report. This is a crucial moment to ensure the upcoming EU Anti-Poverty Strategy delivers on EU commitments towards human dignity, democracy and fundamental rights. 

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Statement endorsed by the following members of the Coalition on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy:

EAPN (European Anti-Poverty Network)

AGE Platform Europe

ATD Fourth World

COFACE Families Europe

Emmaus Europe

Eurochild

Eurodiaconia

European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network

FEANTSA

IGLYO (The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation)

SMES-Europa

Save the Children 

Social Platform

TGEU — Trans Europe and Central Asia