Poverty in the EU is a growing concern – suffice to say that 17% of the European population live below the poverty line.

This amounts to 85 million people living in poverty in the EU alone. Due to a number of factors, in particular the economic crisis, this number has been on the rise. Last week a ‘Citizens Agora’ was held at the European Parliament in Brussels. This event brought together NGOs, lawmakers and people over 60 facing poverty, with the aim of discussing the issues involved, and more importantly what can be done to improve the situation. 2010 was the year for combating poverty and social exclusion. And this year the EU had not put this aside – it is still a priority.

European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor together with Parliament’s President Jerzy Buzek inaugurated the Agora conference. Participants were divided into a number of groups – one of these dealt with the economic crisis and the new forms of poverty that have evolved over the years. Another group focused on the effects the economic crisis had on migration flows, and yet another discussed access to a respectable way of life for those in a precarious situation.

According to the participants of the conference, some of the most serious problems the EU faces at this point in time are the marginalisation of some groups in society coupled with the rising poverty, heightened by the economic crisis.

A ‘Consensus Conference’ was held in conjunction with the Agora that focused mainly on ways in which over 60s facing financial hardship could be aiding to make ends meet. 20 participants from a number of European countries spoke about their experiences, underlining ways in which the European Union could help them. The most important conclusion was a recommendation calling for pensions to be tax free, as well as indexed to the standard of living.

Poverty often leads to social exclusion. The best tools to tackle social exclusion are all linked directly to education – awareness raising campaigns, workshops and information seminars in schools. These campaigns will assist in educating those that are not affected, but more importantly they will help those directly affected by increasing their awareness of their own rights. But there is much more that can be done.

The global economic crisis has taken its toll on the EU. When dealing with the poor in our respective countries, and the socially emarginated, we must first defeat the recession in our hearts and minds. Ten years ago, EU leaders pledged to ‘make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty’ by 2010. This has clearly not occurred, but we must keep striving to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line, and if they are below that line ensure that they are not emarginated.