Brussels:The European Commission is set to lift 15 million people out of poverty and social exclusion by 2030. Roxana Mînzatu, the Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, highlighted the ongoing struggles of many Europeans who lack access to essential needs such as housing, heating, food, healthcare, and education.
According to Emirates News Agency, Mînzatu emphasized the severity of the issue, noting that one in five Europeans is currently at risk of poverty and social exclusion, including 19.3 million children. Additionally, over 1.4 million people are homeless or lack secure housing. This announcement coincided with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17, under the theme "Safe Homes for All," which underscores the importance of adequate housing for societal participation.
Mînzatu stressed that this situation is unacceptable and called for collective action against poverty and exclusion. She mentioned the adoption of the EU's first Anti-Poverty Strategy earlier this year, aimed at achieving the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan's target to significantly reduce poverty and social exclusion by 2030, with a vision to eradicate it by 2050.
She also revealed that the European Council is expected to approve a recommendation on combating housing exclusion, marking the first EU legal act on homelessness. This initiative represents a crucial step in addressing one of the most severe forms of poverty.