Poverty rates across the EU are worrying. While the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion may have slightly decreased since the introduction of the EPSR, in 2024, there were still over 93 million people at risk of poverty and social exclusion, which corresponds to roughly 21% of the EU’s population.

Unequal distribution of wealth is one of the key systemic reasons for poverty alongside social exclusion and discrimination based on gender, race, migrant status, age, disability, etc, and lack of access to quality employment, education, social services, energy, mobility and more.

Industrial and service cooperatives are at the forefront of providing socially inclusive employment opportunities, providing support for the local economy and local community in which they are deeply embedded, and promoting the fair distribution of wealth. As a result, the Anti-Poverty Strategy must:

  • Recognise worker cooperatives as key partners in eradicating poverty.

  • Recognise social cooperatives as key partners in eradicating poverty.

  • Ensure coherence with the Social Economy Action Plan.

  • Provide targeted support to cooperatives to expand their training programmes.

  • Improve access to finance for cooperatives committed to eradicating poverty.

  • Reform tax policies to recognise the value cooperatives bring vis-à-vis the eradication of poverty.


    Access CECOP's response to the consultation here.