As part of its European Semester the EU has pledged to lift 20 million people from poverty in the European Union.  It didn't achieve this goal but despite an economic crisis managed to lift many people from poverty. Many of its actions aimed at lifting from poverty have been prevented based upon 'illegality'. In this podcast we talk to Ane Fernandez de Aranguiz researcher at the University of Antwerp about the legal framework of the European Union and whether its social actions can be taken. Additionally we discuss whether it is the EU or the Member States who should be primary responsible for poverty reduction.