Europe 2020 and the battle against poverty: back to square one?

When EU leaders adopted the Lisbon strategy in 2000, they were confident of making a decisive impact on poverty by 2010.

However, things did not turn out as expected. The results are, to say the least, disappointing. Poverty rates are generally at a standstill and even showed an upward trend in some member states, despite favorable economic conditions in the pre-crisis period.

To replace the failed Lisbon Agenda, the European Council agreed on 17 June to adopt the so-called Europ...