Two Position Papers by ATD Fourth World Out On #EuropeDay!

In July 2024, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced the preparation of a first-ever European Union (EU) Anti-Poverty Strategy (see page 18 of her Strasbourg “EUROPE’S CHOICE” speech), to be launched early in 2026.

For the past 9 months, the ATD Fourth World European Advocacy Team has been working to introduce ATD’s vision and practice in the mobilisation towards a strong and effective EU Anti-Poverty Strategy (EU APS).

The ATD Fourth World European Advocacy Team published a first position paper in January 2025: Paving the Way towards an EU Anti-Poverty Strategy – Methodological Guidelines. This position paper called for a new, comprehensive understanding of what life in poverty means for EU citizens and demanded effective and inclusive participation of people with lived experience of poverty in the full policy process.

Today #EuropeDay2025, is another milestone in this journey towards the EU APS. Our second position paper focuses on rights delivery and on just transition. This position paper has policy recommendations in six fields: socio-economic discrimination, institutional maltreatment, children and family support, housing, employment and the digital divide.

The first-ever EU Anti-Poverty Strategy is a new opportunity for the European Union to end poverty and social exclusion. ATD Fourth World, together with EAPN Europe, Eurochild, the Social Platform or Caritas Europa has been organising and advocating for decades to keep the eradication of poverty and the reduction of inequalities on top of the EU policy agenda. The time is now for the European Commission to design and commit to a participatory, rights-based and adequately resourced EU Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Download the ATD APS position paper number 1 here!
Download the ATD APS position paper number 2 here!