Measuring and Monitoring Absolute Poverty in the European Union - Hardcover

by Balint Menyhert (Author), Zsombor Cseres-Gergely (Author), Virmantas Kvedaras (Author)

This book sets out a new framework and methodology for the measuring and monitoring of absolute poverty in the European Union. A comparative needs-based analysis of poverty is presented that allows for cross-country examination. By comparing absolute poverty measurements with existing conventional measures, a new understanding of poverty within the European Union is explored, highlighting that poverty is cyclical and unevenly disturbed across Europe. Issued related to poverty, including food basket development, basket pricing, household compatibility, are also discussed.

This book aims to provide a comprehensive account of methodological tools available for the measurement of poverty. It will be relevant to researchers and policymakers interested in absolute poverty measurement.

This is an open access book.

Back Jacket

Fueled by the recent cost of living crisis and compounding social policy challenges, absolute poverty measurement is rapidly gaining relevance in many advanced economies. Focusing on individuals' and households' minimum financial needs, absolute measures of poverty are well suited to support adequate social protection schemes and time-consistent social monitoring.

The current open access publication gives a comprehensive overview of the art and science of absolute poverty measurement in an EU-wide context. It summarizes the lessons learnt from the ABSPO exploratory research project carried out by the European Commission, tasked with designing and implementing the first cross-country comparable measurement of absolute poverty in the EU. Presented as a methodological handbook for practitioners and social policy experts, the relevant material covers all aspects of the measurement process and offers a novel framework, innovative methodologies and pioneering data analysis. Taking a decidedly forward-looking and international approach to poverty thinking, ABSPO measurement tools help identify new forms and patterns of social exclusion among European societies that call for further research, improved social monitoring and effective policy action.

B?lint Menyh?rt is an empirical economist and former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

Zsombor Cseres-Gergely is a policy economist and former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

Virmantas Kvedaras is an applied econometrician and former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

Benedetta Mina is an economist and former research assistant at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

Filippo Pericoli is a quantitative economist and former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

Slavica Zec is a statistician and former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

Author Biography

B?lint Menyh?rt is an economist and a former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. He holds a PhD from the Central European University and worked previously at the OECD and the National Bank of Hungary..

Zsombor Cseres-Gergely is an economist at the European Commission and a former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre. He holds a Phd from the Central European University and worked previously at the Institute of Economics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Virmantas Kvedaras is an applied econometrician and a former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. He holds a Phd from the Vilnius University where he previously worked as an associate professor at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics.

Benedetta Mina is an economist at the Italian Parliament and a former research assistant at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. She is set to obtain her PhD from the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Filippo Pericoli is an economist at the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. He holds a PhD from the Sapienza University of Rome and worked previously at the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Slavica Zec is a statistician and a former research fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. She holds a PhD from the University of Padova where she previously worked as a socio-economic researcher.