The fight against poverty remains the primary objective of the development policy of the Union, as laid down in Title V, Chapter 1 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and Title III, Chapter 1 of Part Five of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other internationally agreed development commitments and objectives approved by the Union and by the Member States in the context of the United Nations (UN) and other competent international fora.
Tá an comhrac i gcoinne na bochtaineachta mar phríomhchuspóir bheartas forbartha an Aontais i gcónaí, faoi mar a leagtar síos i dTeideal V, Caibidil 1 den Chonradh ar an Aontas Eorpach (CAE) agus i dTeideal III, Caibidil 1 de Chuid a Cúig den Chonradh ar Fheidhmiú an Aontais Eorpaigh (CFAE), i gcomhréir le Spriocanna Forbartha na Mílaoise (SFManna), agus le cuspóirí agus le gealltanais eile maidir le forbairt a comhaontaíodh go hidirnáisiúnta a d'fhormheas an tAontas agus na Ballstáit faoi chuimsiú na Náisiún Aontaithe (NA) agus fóram idirnáisiúnta inniúla eile.