In July 2025, the European Commission launched a public consultation and call for evidence on the upcoming, first-of-its-kind EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, whose aim is to contribute to implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights and achieving the EU 2030 poverty reduction target.

The European Social Network (ESN) has been working on poverty and social exclusion since 2011, with a specific focus on the role public social services play in combating poverty and promoting social inclusion in their local communities, especially among vulnerable groups.

Committed to this cause, we are now organising a roundtable to reflect on the multidimensional nature of poverty, which should be intended as ‘poverty of opportunities’, and the importance of ensuring public social services feed into the design of this strategy to ensure its successful implementation. For this purpose, we will contribute to the discussion with some of the key findings from the European Social Services Index, which showcase the situation of social services across Europe. 

ESN members are invited to attend the roundtable, which will be hosted by MEP Idoia Mendia and MEP Michał Szczerba and will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, 15 October 2025, from 15:00 to 17:00.