EU Anti-Poverty Strategy Report adopted:
Civil society welcomes Parliament’s vote but report still leaves many behind
Joint statement by the Coalition on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy
16 FEBRUARY 2026
On Thursday, 12 February 2026, the European Parliament adopted its position on the upcoming EU Anti-Poverty Strategy of the European Commission. The report sends a strong political signal to the Commission: the first-ever EU Anti-Poverty Strategy must be ambitious, comprehensive, and firmly grounded in human rights. However, the Coalition is alarmed that a majority of MEPs voted to dilute the final report, creating divisions among people experiencing poverty who should be covered by the Strategy.
The Advocacy Coalition for an EU Anti-Poverty Strategy welcomes the signal sent last week by the European Parliament: swift EU-level action must be taken to eradicate poverty.
Indeed, the launch of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy by the European Commission on 6th May comes at a critical moment: in 2024, 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 an unsustainable economic model, unrelenting austerity measures, the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, ever-hardening migration policies, 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.
The report adopted on Thursday 12 February 2026 is a crucial step in the shaping of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. The Coalition welcomes the strong calls to address the multidimensional nature of poverty through a comprehensive and preventive approach that tackles root causes and intersecting inequalities.
In particular, the report calls for an ambitious EU Anti-Poverty Strategy with the objective of eradicating poverty by 2035 and stresses that the Strategy must be adequately funded through the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). It highlights the need to address the situation of vulnerable and marginalised groups, listing those disproportionately affected by poverty. It also uses strong language on quality jobs, child and family poverty, homelessness, severe material deprivation and access to services and social protection. In addition, it underlines the importance of guaranteeing the participation of people experiencing poverty throughout the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy.
However, the Coalition is deeply concerned that a majority of MEPs voted to dilute the final report, creating divisions among people experiencing poverty who should be covered by the Strategy. In particular, the Coalition regrets the exclusion of migrants and undocumented people from the list of vulnerable groups, as well as failing to stress the important role of the European Platform of Combating Homelessness (EPOCH) in delivering progress on homelessness.
The Coalition absolutely opposes the suggestion that some people in poverty deserve support, and others not. For organisations working across multiple issues and serving diverse communities, solidarity is essential. Every person in poverty counts. An EU Anti-Poverty Strategy that excludes certain groups of people in or at risk of poverty is unacceptable.
Following the European Parliament’s strong call for a comprehensive, ambitious, and adequately funded EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, reflecting the demands of civil society organisations, we urge the European Commission to overcome its weaknesses highlighted above, and ensure that the Strategy’s launch on Wednesday, 6 May 2026 truly leaves no one behind.
Statement endorsed by the following members of the Coalition on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy:
European Anti-Poverty Network – AGE Platform Europe – ATD Fourth World – Caritas Europa – COFACE Families Europe – Emmaus Europe – Eurodiaconia – Eurochild – ERGO – FEANTSA – IGLYO – PICUM – Social Platform – TGEU
