Inbreng bij Ecosoc (de EU SER) vanuit EAPN Nederland
By Gunou Mahmoud, PeP coordinator EAPN Netherlands.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, I want to talk about the growing challenges we face in the Netherlands and across Europe, particularly when it comes to poverty and social exclusion. It is often claimed that the situation has improved, but when we dig deeper, we see that the reality is quite different.
Situation in the Netherlands – EAPN Netherlands Perspective
According to the Central Planning Office, the number of people living in poverty in the Netherlands has gone down. However, one key reason for this decrease is the introduction of a new poverty definition. As EAPN Netherlands, we feel somewhat uncomfortable with this statement. Moreover, the Planning Office also acknowledges that for those who are still in poverty, their situation has worsened. They stress that more support should be provided.
At the same time, we see the current government initiating austerity measures and discussing the reduction of social benefits. This highlights a clear discrepancy between the advice of experts and the plans of the coalition government. A third issue is that municipalities strongly oppose the government’s plan to cut their budgets for next year by over €2.6 billion. They are calling 2026 “the abyss year.” They have made it clear that if this plan goes ahead, they will be forced to implement a range
of austerity measures and raise local taxes—both of which will hit people with low and lower incomes especially hard.
We are also seeing a growing debate around NATO and the call to increase the defense budget. First, the budget was raised to meet the 2% of GDP-target, and now there is talk of raising it to 5%, which would mean an additional €30 billion per year. This raises serious concerns, as it could lead to further austerity that would once again affect the poor most severely.
So, our current reality looks harsh. Poverty is likely to intensify, more people will fall into poverty, and there are no optimistic forecasts for the coming years.
Impact on Young People
The consequences for young people are clear: low prospects for their future. We may see rising inflation, decreasing incomes, higher rents, and potentially higher unemployment. These are not the signs of a happy or secure future.
On top of that, more and more young people are struggling with mental health issues, while access to proper care is declining. For years now, we have seen a clear need for better mental health services for young people, yet the situation continues to worsen. On this issue, the political opposition stands with the youth, while the coalition appears to have lost interest in making improvements.
Poverty, Mental Health, and Barriers to Care
Poverty is not only a matter of income; it also has a profound impact on mental and physical health. People living in poverty are much more likely to experience mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. The constant pressure of financial insecurity, social stigma, and fear for the future can be overwhelming. At the same time, those in poverty often face significant barriers to both mental and physical healthcare. Long waiting lists, complicated procedures, high out-of-pocket costs, and a lack of nearby services create a situation where help is either delayed or entirely out of reach. This lack of access prevents many people from getting the care they need, deepening the crisis they are already in. Without proper support, their mental and physical health continues to decline, making it even harder to find employment, maintain stability, or engage with support systems. In this way, poverty becomes a trap, a vicious cycle that is extremely hard to break without targeted and accessible interventions. A fair and inclusive society must recognize the link between poverty and health, and must ensure that healthcare services are accessible for all, regardless of income or background.
Social Exclusion and Disability
An important and often overlooked aspect of poverty is the social exclusion of people with disabilities. Many of them face systemic barriers when it comes to participating in the labour market. Despite policies promoting inclusion, in practice, people with disabilities are often confronted with rigid assessments, unrealistic work expectations, and a lack of suitable or adapted jobs. As a result, for a large part of this group, work is not a realistic option, yet they are still judged by standards designed for people without disabilities.
This leads to a structural exclusion from the workforce, pushing many into long-term poverty. Social benefits are often too low to cover basic needs, and additional costs related to their disability, such as mobility, healthcare, or personal assistance—are rarely compensated adequately. Instead of receiving support to participate where possible, many people with disabilities feel punished for their limitations. This not only affects their income, but also their dignity, social connections, and mental well-being. True inclusion means designing a system that works for everyone, not just for those who fit into standard models.
Silver Lining: Hope Through Cooperation
However, every cloud has a silver lining. In this changing landscape, we are working closely with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), Divosa (the association of social affairs departments), and others to reform the Participation Act.
This reform focuses on replacing mutual distrust between civil servants and citizens with trust. It aims to involve people with lived experience in shaping and implementing local social welfare policies. This promising approach will take time to realize fully, but we see growing enthusiasm. Our Action Learning project, where municipalities and experts by experience collaborate closely, offers hope for a different future.
Tax Justice as a Solution
Overall, we are deeply concerned about the new austerity measures. That’s why we are advocating for alternative ideas, especially in the area of taxation. We welcome the Tax Symposia organized by the European Parliament and the European Commission. These offer a path toward higher wealth taxes, a more realistic inheritance tax, and the introduction of a Financial Transaction Tax.
As Seamus Boland said at the opening of this meeting:
“People who are fighting poverty, like EAPN, need to scrape by with what they have to fight poverty. But the most important thing in fighting poverty is to include people experiencing poverty or who have experienced poverty in all stages of the process.”
As the report is also saying. “We know what is needed for those living in poverty, because we are the experienced experts.“
Last but not least, a good example of excluding people experiencing poverty:
For the past few years, we have been trying to go to the European Youth Event in Strasbourg. This is a meeting for young people from 18 years old to 30 years old in the European Parliament. But this has not been possible, because there is no funding available for us from the government in the Netherlands.
However, an event like this is really important for young people living in Europe to let their voices be heard, to get engaged with European politics, and to feel included in the European Parliament, not forgotten.
“As I always say, you are borrowing this country and Europe from us, the younger generation. Let us participate in the European Parliament, after all, we are the future.”
Thank you!