Risk of poverty drops across the EU in 2024 but rises in Italy

Brussels – Good news for the EU:  the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion is shrinking, albeit slightly, and with difficulty. In 2024, compared to 2023, there was “a slight” reduction, Eurostat notes in data released today (April 30). Specifically, there is a decline of 0.3 percentage points, with the rate of people in economic distress at 21 percent of the EU population. This means that 93.3 million people still have daily problems getting by (-1.2 million).

In percentage terms, the highest rates of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024 are in Bulgaria (30.3 percent), Romania (27.9 percent), Greece (26.9 percent), Spain and Lithuania (both 25.8 percent). In contrast, the lowest levels are found in the Czech Republic (11.3 percent), Slovenia (14.4 percent), the Netherlands (15.4 percent), Poland (16.0 percent), and Ireland (16.7 percent).

Translating the rates into absolute figures reveals that the top three EU countries by number of people struggling to make it to the end of the month are also the three most populous -Germany, France, and Italy. However, while the number of poor people decreased in Germany (17.6 million, -119 thousand), it rose in France (13.5 million, +68 thousand) and Italy (13.5 million, +133 thousand). For Italy, the updated figures from the European Statistical Institute certify an aggravation of a long-term problem.

The risk of poverty and social exclusion implies multiple situations, and Eurostat helps understand different types of economic hardship with which Europeans and Italians must contend. For families, it involves the inability to meet unexpected expenses, not being able to pay for a week’s annual vacation away from home, failure to pay off expenses (mortgage or rent payments, utility bills), and inability to replace worn-out furniture. On the other hand, for single people, Eurostat measures the varying degree of ability to pay for internet subscriptions and new clothes or engage regularly in recreational activities.