53,673 of 75,000 signatures

To the European Commission, the European Council, Directorate General of Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) and Jiri Svarc, Head of Unit “Social Investment Strategy”, Directorate General of Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) at the European Commission

Petition

We ask you to start a pilot program to test the idea of Universal Basic Income (UBI), by giving a selection of EU residents monthly cash payments for a period of at least three years to see how a European UBI would work and assess the impacts of the program.

Why is this important?

A Universal Basic Income (UBI) is an unconditional monthly cash payment that everyone receives, regardless of age, income or employment, to cover basic living costs and allow everyone to participate in society. No strings attached.

A new Yougov poll shows that more than two-thirds of Europeans support a UBI.

The severity of the pandemic crisis requires decisive action and bold solutions.

While a UBI for all has now gained mainstream support, and would be the quickest and most effective way to provide all people in Europe with the financial security they need, we know that EU leaders have questions about its feasibility, its costs and its effects on people.

This is why as a first step we are asking the European Commission to back a UBI pilot program. The pilot would give a selection of EU residents monthly cash payments for a period of at least three years. It would help the EU understand how a European UBI would work and assess its impacts on the labour market, on well-being, inequality and poverty. Additionally, it would help move us towards the best and most effective policy design to provide a UBI for all people in Europe. European citizens cannot be abandoned to fend for themselves during the pandemic and need to feel full weight of European institutions behind them.

We know that an unconditional basic income could have massive benefits. [1] It’s already been tested in places like Finland where the results have been outstanding. Those receiving the UBI who wanted to study went back to school. Trust towards other people and institutions went up. Those who received a basic income reported lower feelings of depression. [2] We need more experiments like this to build a bigger picture.

Sign the petition and push the EU to make the first step in introducing a UBI for all Europeans: a UBI pilot program!


References:

  1. https://www.dw.com/en/basic-income-germany-tax-free/a-54700872
  2. The survey was conducted in 6 European countries - France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain - where people expressed strong support for a UBI and would like their governments to set up a pilot project: https://www.wemove.eu/it/results-yougov-poll-about-ubi.
  3. https://www.ubie.org/the-unheard-results-of-the-finnish-basic-income-experiment/

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A Universal Basic Income for Europeans can be the change we are all waiting for in Europe. The first bold step out of the crisis and towards a better and more secure future for people in Europe.

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