More than a third of Romania’s citizens (38.8%) were at risk of poverty and social exclusion, according to EU’s statistical office Eurostat.

Bulgaria and Greece also had high rates, of 40.4% and 35.6%. The lowest levels were registered in the Czech Republic (13.3%), Finland (16.6%), Denmark (16.7%) and the Netherlands (16.8%).

In total, 117.5 million people in the EU were at risk of poverty and social exclusion in 2016, representing 23.4% of the total population. The level was almost similar to the one before the economic crisis in 2008, of 23.7%. Romania had 9.1 million citizens who were at risk of poverty and social exclusion in 2008, namely 44.2% of the population. Their number reached almost 7.7 million last year.

The EU aims to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion by at least 20 million until 2020.

Between 2008 and 2016, the risk of poverty and social exclusion increased in ten EU member states. The highest increase was recorded in Greece, namely from 28.1% in 2008 to 35.6% in 2016. Poland, on the other hand, saw the biggest drop in the rate of people at risk of poverty, namely from 30.5% to 21.9%.

editor@romania-insider.com