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UBI – European Initiative

The ECI-UBI team continues its work independently and contributes to the entire European and also Worldwide Basic Income Movements, under the name of the ‘UBI – European Initiative’. We intend to continue our co-operation based on trust, friendship and solidarity that have been developed over many years while advocating and allocating efforts for implementation of basic income in a joint and coordinated way.
‘UBI – European Initiative’ (Unconditional Basic Income – European Initiative)
Our goal is to introduce unconditional basic income in every country in Europe and the world. UBI (Unconditional Basic Income) is the sum of money paid regularly, unconditionally and universally to all individuals, high enough to ensure their material existence and participation in society. UBI is a step towards an emancipatory welfare system.
Our understanding of co-operation is always based on volunteering, solidarity and respect to each other; both within the ‘UBI – European Initiative’ and also with other bodies and individuals.
As ‘UBI – European Initiative’, as an independent body, we would like to cooperate and join EUMANS, in order to make ‘Unconditional Basic Income’ one of the main points supported by EUMANS.

Unconditional Basic Income – Basics 

Unconditional Basic Income – Basics

Content

  1.  What is an emancipatory UBI?
  2. UBI – Redistributive effect from the rich to the poor and the middle class and significant reduction of social and income inequality 
  3. UBI – Decoupling of gainful employment and individual livelihood security
  4. UBI – Recognition, social status and self-esteem independent of gainful employment
  5. UBI – Promoting the empowerment of women
  6. UBI – Promotion of democracy 
  7. UBI – Building a better world

 

  1. What is an emancipatory UBI?
    The UBI (Unconditional Basic Income) is a sum of money paid regularly, unconditionally and universally to all individuals, high enough to ensure their material existence and participation in society. The UBI must have an amount above the relative poverty line of the country in order to eradicate income poverty and minimise income and social inequality in a sustainable way in the country concerned. This level of the basic income is to be checked regularly with suitable reference budgets (basket of goods and services, etc.) with regard to the actual securing of sufficient income to ensure current material existence and participation in society and adjusted upwards if necessary. Only if UBI meets all these criteria can the UBI unfold its emancipatory power and ensures a decent life for all. An emancipatory UBI is also organised and controlled democratically.

    1. We consider the UBI as a human right regardless of whether people “do” something or not. The emancipatory point is: Every human being has the same social rights everywhere, just as well the UBI as a human right worldwide.
    2. The UBI is a step towards an emancipatory social / welfare system. The UBI does not replace public and social infrastructure and services (education, health, energy, public transport, etc.). On the contrary, the UBI goes hand in hand with the expansion and democratisation of unconditionally and universally, i. e. cost-free accessible public and social infrastructure and services. The UBI does not replace public social insurance, but makes it poverty-proof and universal. The emancipatory point is: The welfare system guarantees for everyone a life in dignity and social security.
    3. The UBI strengthens the power of workers and their organisations because it strengthens the bargaining position. The emancipatory point is: Workers can say no and change the bad working conditions.
    4. The UBI strengthens the power of women because it provides an independent income and social security for them. The emancipatory point is: Women can change and improve their life situation and conditions.
    5. The UBI is a step towards a society in which people are free and able to live and work in cooperation with others, for example in solidarity-based and sustainable communities and economies. The emancipatory point is: UBI enable people to build a democratical and ecological society and production. Summary: An UBI is a part of societal regulations which promotes emancipation for everyone, i.e. which promotes the self-determination and controlling of the own life and working conditions.
  2. UBI – Redistributive effect from the rich to the poor and middle class and significant reduction of social and income inequality Redistribution is necessary because in the current economic situation and in the financial system, the gap between the rich and the middle class / poor is widening unless countervailing framework conditions are created. The rich will not become poor through the UBI, but the large gap will be significantly reduced. Poverty and precarity would be eliminated, social and income inequality minimised.
  3. UBI – Decoupling gainful employment and individual livelihoods
    By decoupling gainful employment and individual livelihood, workers / employees have the opportunity to reduce their paid working hours / labour time in order to have more time for their families, social networks, education and interests as well as their political engagement. By decoupling gainful employment and individual livelihood through UBI, new forms of selforganisation and cooperative production can be implemented, which are necessary for the development of ecological and social sustainability.
  4. UBI – Recognition, social status and self-esteem independent of gainful employment
    Childcare and care for elder, disabled and sick persons, housework and self-performed repairs and maintenances, voluntary social work, shaping social relationships and civil society engagement for ecological and social goals, if unpaid, are considered non-value-added (GDP) under current conditions. Without these unpaid works, the social and economic system would collaps. A rethink in the valuation of any work / activity done – whether paid or unpaid – is necessary. The UBI offers the opportunity to carry out unpaid activities of one’s own choice in a secure material existence. UBI promotes recognition, social status and self-esteem independent of gainful employment. We need a change from a working society to a multi-activity, a human- and knowledge-based society, also with enough time for leisure and for a stress-free, healthy life.
  5. UBI – Empowerment of Women
    UBI is one of the important tools to reach gender equality. It ensures every woman material independence from her husband or partner, empowers and enables her to live and act in a selfdetermined and more equal way. Besides the UBI, equal pay für equal work for all genders in gainful employment must be achieved.
  6. UBI – Promotion of democracy
    The UBI provides and opens the way for participation in the democratic social and political life of a country. The UBI forms the economic basis for every person to be able to act in a self-responsible and selfdetermined way, therefore helps to reduce disenchantment with politics and enables people to participate actively.
  7. UBI – Building a better world
    An UBI is a part of the socio-ecological transformation process with the aim of creating a “good life” for all. It promotes the democratic participation of everyone, the reduction of working hours, the engagement in solidarity economies, i.e. the push back of alienated labour and consumerism. Because of the UBI no one need to be afraid of the necessary changes on the way to a society that is in harmony with nature, its protection and preservation.

Download pfd 23-03-01 UBI Basics – english

Abolish income poverty at last! Letter to Members of the European Parliament,

Abolish income poverty at last!

Develop Minimum Income as Unconditional Basic Income!

Call to Members of the European Parliament,
By Unconditional Basic Income – European Initiative (UBI-EI)
Brussels, 12 th of September, 2022

  1. We ask the Members of the European Parliament to work towards to ensure that the European Commission takes resolutions, papers and statements of the European Parliament and the European Commission seriously and that their fundamental statements are reflected in the European Commission’s proposal for a recommendation on minimum income.
  2. We call on the Members of the European Parliament to make sure that the introduction of Unconditional Basic Incomes and steps towards an Unconditional Basic Income in every EU Member State will be a part of the European Commission’s proposal for a recommendation on minimum income.
  3. We expect that the members of the European Parliament will evaluate the European Commission’s proposal on the minimum income politically and, if necessary, will work to ensure that the principled statements contained in the above resolutions, papers and statements are reflected in specific regulations on an adequate minimum income and in proposals for the establishment of Unconditional Basic Incomes in all member states.

Excerpt from the Manifesto of Ventotene

”The almost unlimited potentiality of mass production of goods of prime necessity through modern technology, allow everyone to be guaranteed, at relatively low social cost, food, lodging, clothing and that minimum of comfort needed to preserve a sense of human dignity.
Human solidarity turned towards those who succumb in the economic battle ought not, therefore, be shown with same humiliating forms of charity that produce the very same evils it vainly attempts to remedy.
Rather it must take a series of measures which unconditionally guarantee a decent standard of living for everyone, without lessening the stimulus to work and to save.
In this situation, no one would any longer be forced by misery to accept unfair work contracts.“


Known as the “Manifesto of Ventotene“, it was written mainly by the anti-fascist Altiero Spinelli in 1941 while in political captivity. Later, Spinelli was a member of the European Commission and the European Parliament. He is considered one of the founding fathers of the EU. In the writing “For a Free and United Europe. Project of a Manifesto”, as it was actually called, the ideal of European federalism and European integration was outlined. The main building of the European Parliament is named after Altiero Spinelli.


Dear Members of European Parliament,
in the third quarter of 2022, the European Commission intends to present a proposal for a European Council Recommendation on rules for adequate minimum income in the EU (see here).
In recent years, the European Parliament and the European Commission have adopted and published resolutions, papers and statements on adequate minimum income and basic income (see annex).

  1. Fundamental statements in the above-mentioned resolutions, papers and statements (see annex)
    1. Amount of minimum income
      By default, the amount of the national minimum income has to ensure an income that is above the relative poverty line (above at-risk-of-poverty threshold of 60% of national median equalised net income). This level of the respective national minimum income is to be checked with suitable reference budgets (basket of goods and services and others) with regard to the actual safeguarding of the sufficient means of income to ensure material existence and enable participation in society, if necessary, adjusted upwards.
    2. Eligibility on minimum income: concerning person 
      There is an individualised right to a poverty-preventing minimum income. It is individually guaranteed.
    3. Eligibility regarding to income and wealth of a person
      In the understanding of the EU bodies the minimum income is means-tested. But: Means-tested social transfers have a stigmatising character and provocate concealed poverty (non take up). Empirical evidence for several EU-countries suggests that non-take-up of existing means-tested  social benefits is a widespread problem in the EU (see for example here): Existing means-tested social transfer systems does not achieve in many cases these persons, who have an entitlement of social transfers, and exclude many persons from the social system – due to the means-testing social transfer system. Therefore means-tested social systems are not suitable for effective
      poverty protection. That is the background for the statement from Olivier De Schutter, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, on his visit to the European Union (25 November 2020 to 29 January 2021): “Guaranteeing entitlements that parents and children may claim before independent bodies can significantly reduce the rates of non-take-up, which is largely attributable to the stigmatisation and shame experienced by people in poverty; universal guarantees, rather than means-tested support schemes, also have proven to be more effective. […] In attempting to assuage political fears of chronic dependency on social assistance, such conditionalities may end up leading to higher rates of non take-up and to worsening the poverty trap. Minimum income schemes should uphold the principles of universality and equality in protection that are at the core of any system of guaranteed income.“ (see Olivier De Schutter, 2021)
    4. Eligibility on minimum income: without forced labour or service in return
      Forced or compulsory labour is defined as “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily.“ (see ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930, No. 29, Article 2) Any reduction or denial of the minimum income because of refusal of labor or services in return is a penalty. Taking up labor or service in return under threat of punishment is not voluntary (see Max Kern, 2008; lawyer at the International Labour Office from 1966 to 2002, was for many years head of the Forced Labour Section of the Standards Department, the secretariat of the supervisory bodies of the ILO for verifying the compliance of member states with international standards). A minimum income scheme must not violate the ILO Forced Labour Convention, which is binding under international law, must not also reduce or deny the minimum income in the case of failure to take up labor or a service in return. Furthermore: Any reduction or denial of the minimum income for a person violates the human right to social security and would plunge the person  concerned into poverty and expose him or her to social exclusion. Human rights are
      unconditional rights!

We ask the Members of the European Parliament to work towards to ensure that the European Commission takes resolutions, papers and statements of the European Parliament and the European Commission seriously and that their fundamental statements are reflected in the European Commission’s proposal for a recommendation on minimum income.

  1. Unconditional Basic Income as a minimum income for everyone
    UBI-EI (Unconditional Basic Income – European Initiative) is an initiative composed of UBI advocates from different European countries, who contributed to the design, initiation and execution of the two seperate ECI Campaigns for UBI, held in 2013-2014 and 2020-2022 (https://europa.eu/citizens-initiative/_en).The goal of our UBI-EI is the introduction of Unconditional Basic Incomes in every country in Europe and the world. UBI (Unconditional Basic Income) is the sum of money paid regularly, unconditionally and universally to all individuals, high enough to ensure their material existence and participation in society. UBI is a step towards an emancipatory welfare system.The call for introduction of Unconditional Basic Incomes in the EU was supported by around 300 000 EU citizens under the European Citizens’ Initiative Unconditional Basic Income (see https://eci.ec.europa.eu/014/public/#/screen/home/disabled).Furthermore: On the Online-Plattform of the Conference on the Future of Europe was “one of the most frequently suggested mechanisms to make Europe more inclusive and socially fair is guaranteeing an Unconditional Basic Income throughout the EU“. (see Final Report Platform,
    May 2022, p. 44: https://futureu.europa.eu/pages/reporting)

An Unconditional Basic Income is

  • a type of minimum income, which secures the means of income to ensure material existence and participation in society and eliminate income poverty.
  • an individually guaranteed type of minimum income.
  • an universal type of minimum income. Not only stigmatising and non take up of social transfers would be effective combated, also the income poverty and the social exclusion, which is caused by income poverty.
  • an unconditional type of minimum income. Not only the income poverty and the social exclusion, which is caused by income poverty, would be combated, also forced labour.

These are the reasons, why we demand – in reference to the resolutions, papers and statements from the European Parliament and European Commission (see annex) – to develop the minimum income as a basic income: regularly paid to each person, unconditionally, universally, individually and in amount which is high enough to ensure material existence, enable participation in society and eliminate income poverty.
These are the reasons why we call the Members of the European Parliament to strive that the introduction of Unconditional Basic Incomes in their countries and steps towards an Unconditional Basic Income in every EU Member State will be a part of the European Commission’s proposal for a recommendation on minimum income.

Contact persons for Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) – European Initiative are:
Ronald Blaschke, r…@..l.com
Klaus Sambor, k…@..n.at

UBI-EI Members contributed to the preparation of this letter:
Germany: Ronald Blaschke, k…@..l.com
Austria: Klaus Sambor, k…@..n.at
Spain: Angel Bravo, a…@..l.com
Spain: Leo del Prado, l…@..l.com
Latvia: Aija Lasmane, a…@..l.com
Estonia: Jaanus Nurmoja, j…@..k.ee
Hungary: Evamaria Langer-Dombrady, e…@..e.hu
Italy: Fabio Alemagna, falemagn@..l.com
Italy: Michele Gianella, w…@.a.me
Turkey: Ali Mutlu Köylüoğlu, a…@..l.com

Further Signators:
Slovenia: Branko Gerlič, b…@..l.com
Netherlands: Robin Ketelaars, r…@…s,com

Contact via onine contact form

See this page on PDF and also the Annex

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