A study conducted by Erste Bank shows the levels of material and social deprivation in the ECE region, with Romania recording the highest rate in the EU.

According to the Erste Bank study, Slovenia stands out in ECE with the lowest deprivation rate of 1.8%, followed by Croatia and Poland. Romania, on the other hand, has the highest poverty rate in the EU, with 17.2% of the population affected, and 33.8% of children at risk of social exclusion. There are significant regional inequalities, with Bucharest-Ilfov having the lowest risk rate, in contrast to marginalized regions. The AROPE indicator is used to assess the risk of poverty and social exclusion.