Poverty declined across the European Union between 2015 and 2023, although substantial differences persisted among member states, according to a study published September 30, 2026, in the open-access journal PLOS One. The research was conducted by Silvia Megyesiova and Cecilia Olexova of the Bratislava University of Economics and Business in Košice, Slovak Republic.

Reducing poverty remains a major global challenge. In 2021, an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide were living in poverty, while another 240 million were classified as “extreme working poor.” Although poverty has traditionally been measured primarily by income, events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted its broader dimensions, including housing, physical and digital infrastructure, information literacy and exposure to environmental threats.

The researchers examined poverty within and across European Union member states using 10 measures identified in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These included the proportion of people at risk of monetary poverty after social transfers, the housing cost overburden rate, and the severe material and social deprivation rate.

To examine how poverty changed over time, the researchers divided the study period into three parts: 2015–2019, the year 2020, and 2021–2023. The year 2020 was analysed separately because of the social and economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, poverty indicators improved across the EU between 2015 and 2023. The proportion of people at risk of monetary poverty after social transfers fell from 17.4% in 2015 to 16.2% in 2023. The average rate of severe material and social deprivation also declined substantially, from 9.7% to 6.8%.

Many individual countries showed similar improvements, although progress varied considerably. In 2015, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia and Romania each had monetary poverty rates above 22%. By 2023, only Estonia and Latvia remained above that threshold. Romania recorded particularly notable improvement, with its rate falling from 25.4% in 2015 to 21.1% in 2023.

Despite the overall progress, significant disparities remained. Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Latvia formed the most vulnerable cluster during 2021–2023, while several countries in Northern and Western Europe displayed more stable trends. The findings suggest that poverty patterns do not always correspond neatly with traditional geographical divisions within Europe.

The researchers emphasise that economic prosperity alone cannot fully explain poverty and social exclusion. Measures such as material deprivation, housing conditions and digital skills provide a broader picture of social vulnerability. They conclude that multidimensional poverty profiles can change over time and that sustainable policies tailored to the circumstances of individual countries will be important for strengthening resilience and reducing poverty across the EU.

More information: Silvia Megyesiova et al, Multivariate analysis of poverty and social exclusion across EU countries in the context of Sustainable Development Goal 1, PLOS One. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0343050

Journal information: PLOS One Provided by PLOS