Poverty in Europe

Poverty in Spain

Main article: Poverty in Spain

Poverty in Russia

Main article: Poverty in Russia

2021: The EU counted 24 million very poor residents

In mid-September 2021, data appeared that 24 million workers across the European Union (EU EU) live below the poverty line at the minimum wage. This was reported in the European Confederation of Trade Unions (ETUC; represents 45 million members of 90 trade unions from 38 countries Europe and 10 European trade union federations).

In Finland, Croatia and Belgium, compared to other EU countries, the proportion of working poor among the population at risk of poverty is very low at about 30%, while at the other end of the spectrum is Romania, where the majority of people at risk of poverty are working poor, as well as Luxembourg (68.2%), Greece (65.4%) and Poland (60.8%).

The EU counted 24 million residents who live below the poverty line on a minimum wage

The real state of affairs in the union: 24 million workers throughout the European Union (EU) receive the minimum wage, because of which they live below the poverty line. It is time to ensure a fair minimum wage and collective bargaining for all, the ETUC said.

As emphasized in scientific and institutional research from the ETUC, the roots of poverty at work should be sought in the interaction of a range of factors at the individual level and households. The main factors can be grouped into four categories with different implications for social protection and labour market policies in the action plan:

1) Individual characteristics (low level of education/skills, gender, age);

2) Household composition, labour intensity in the household

3) Institutional factors (i.e. duration and type of contract, minimum wage, tax benefits, access to services such as child care, social protection);

4) Structure of economy/labor market.

In the EU, young workers, people aged 18-24 years face the highest risk of poverty at work of 12.2%, followed by workers aged 25-54 years 8%, and older workers 7.7%. This can all be explained by the fact that young people often start their careers with low-paid jobs and more unstable (temporary, part-time, training).

In Russia, 17.7 million people receive less than the subsistence minimum, according to Rosstat data for the second quarter of 2021. The proportion of Russians living below the poverty line was 12.1%. Back in January-March 2021, this figure was 14.3%, 21.1 million people had incomes below the subsistence minimum.^[1]

2020: On average, 9.4% of Europeans are undernourished

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