Poverty gap widens between member states

The economic crisis, which has stripped the social welfare rights of millions, is contributing to a widening poverty gap between member states, the European Commission has said.

The worst affected are young people, unemployed women and single mothers in member states predominately located in the east and south of the Union.

"Most welfare systems have lost their ability to protect household incomes against the effect of the crisis," EU employment commissioner Laszlo Andor told repo...