According to the latest report from the European statistical agency Eurostat, in 2024, approximately 93.3 million people in the European Union — about 21% of the population — were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This figure remains alarmingly high and highlights the persistent socio-economic inequality across the region.
Eurostat defines individuals at risk as those living in households facing at least one of three conditions: low income, limited access to basic material or social needs, or low work intensity. In other words, poverty in the EU today is not just about a lack of money, but also the inability to maintain a decent standard of living, access education or healthcare, or participate fully in society.
The highest concentrations of vulnerable households have been recorded in Eastern and Southern European countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Spain, and Lithuania. These countries have long struggled with high unemployment rates, low wages, and limited access to social support programs.
Experts note that the current figures reflect both the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of inflation, the energy crisis, and a general slowdown in economic growth. Vulnerable groups such as pensioners, families with children, the unemployed, and migrants are being hit the hardest.
