On Thursday, 12-2-2026, the European Parliament adopted a report (385 votes in favour, 141 against, 53 abstentions) calling for stronger funding and coordination to combat poverty and social exclusion across the EU. MEPs urge the European Commission to formally recognize poverty as a violation of human dignity and to work towards its eradication by 2035.
Particular focus is placed on child poverty, which affects one in four children in Europe. Parliament calls for a dedicated budget of at least €20 billion for the European Child Guarantee and increased allocation of European Social Fund+ resources.
MEPs also stress the importance of full employment, fair wages, labour rights protection, and universal access to essential services such as housing, energy, water and transport. An EU-wide action plan to end homelessness by 2030 is also proposed.
According to 2024 data, 93.3 million people in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, including 20 million children.
