Poverty is rising in many EU Member States

he latest EU Employment and Social Situation Quarterly review released by theEuropean Commission shows that although the employment in the European Union moderately recovered during the year to the second quarter of 2011 - in November 2011, the unemployment rate remained stable; it is again on a downward trend since the third quarter with a drop by 0.1%. Most groups are affected but especially hard hit are theyoung, the low-skilled and migrants. The number of underemployed part-time workers and of people available for work but not seeking it any more has also increased. Poverty is also on the rise in many Member States, especially the peripheral ones. Recently published data for 2010 show signs of rising poverty in many Member States, especially in the Baltic States, Spain and Ireland. Some population subgroups areseverely hit, even in Member States apparently less impacted overall. Those suffering the most obvious effects of the crisis are those who were already at greater risk before the crisis and with weaker links to the labour market, namely young adults, families with children and especially single parents. Read the whole Euroalert article here.