Progress Towards Europe 2020 Headline Targets: People at Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion

Between 2011 and 2014, the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU-27* increased from 116 million to 121 million, which is almost one of every four people in the EU-27. The increase has been largely attributed to the economic crisis in 2008 and the following recessions in the majority of the EU-27 Member States. Prior to the full onset of the global recession, between 2005 and 2009, the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU-27 had reached its lowest level of about 114 million.

Main page: Progress towards Europe 2020 headline targets

*The European Union comprises the following 27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom