By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : On the eve of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, European Union ministers were holding a high-level meeting in Marseille, France, Thursday dedicated to fighting poverty and promoting social inclusion.
2010 will be the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion and the meeting marks the kick-off for preparations across Europe.
The initiative will have a budget of at least 26 million euro, including 17 million euro of EU funding.
78 million people in the EU , or 16% of the population, and 19% of the children , are currently at risk of poverty, noted a statement issued here by the European Commission.
According to the EU-agreed definition, people are considered at risk of poverty when they live on an income below 60% of the median household income of their own country.
In 2004 (latest figure available), some 23.5 million EU citizens had to get by on less than 10 euro ( about 655 Indian Rupees) a day.
A survey conducted by the European Commission shows that Europeans see poverty as a widespread problem. Across the EU, people feel that around 1 in 3 people (29%) in their area live in poverty and that 1 in 10 suffers extreme poverty.