The EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, published by the European Commission on 6 May 2026 alongside the Communication “Breaking the Cycle of Child Poverty – Strengthening the European Child Guarantee“, highlights that one in four children in the EU is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Unfortunately this figure has hardly improved over the last seven years. The Anti-Poverty Strategy recognises that breaking the cycle of poverty requires integrated approaches and support from an early age, combining parental income, access to quality services for all children and targeted support to children in need. To accompany the European Child Guarantee in place since 2021, it announces a Commission Recommendation on enhancing the efficiency of child-related benefit systems for 2027, and a toolkit to bridge the European Child Guarantee and the Youth Guarantee.
Social Platform calls for the European Child Guarantee to be sufficiently funded and fully implemented, ensuring every child has access to nutrition, early childhood education and care, healthcare, housing and social protection. Social Platform also underlined that a life-cycle investment approach must address poverty at all stages, and that anti-poverty commitments without dedicated funding remain empty promises.
The link to the next Multiannual Financial Framework will be key, as guaranteed resources for child poverty reduction were an important impetus under the current framework, but are at risk under the post-2027 EU budget.
Find out more about this issue and the expertise of our network below:
Response by ATD Fourth World to the European Commission’s global strategy to combat poverty.
Caritas Europa warmly welcomes the first ever EU anti-poverty strategy presented by the European Commission, marking an important step in placing the fight against poverty higher on the EU’s political agenda.
COFACE Families Europe calls on its members and partners to support implementation of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, to drive real change for families in poverty and at risk of poverty.
EAPN welcomes the European Commission’s commitment to eradicating poverty through the first-ever EU Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Eurochild outlines its position on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy through a child rights lens.
While this Strategy is a first major step, the noticeable absence to introduce binding legislation is a concern.
Child poverty is still a reality for nearly one in four children in the EU. The European Commission has sent a clear signal that this cannot be accepted.
EU anti-poverty strategy analysis
Explore Social Platform’s analysis and reaction to the anti-poverty strategy as a whole on our main overview page.
