An EU Directive to ensure adequate minimum income
The right to an adequate minimum income should be recognised as a fundamental right and should enable people to live a life in dignity, support their full participation in society and ensure their independence across the life cycle. This is why we call for the adoption of an EU framework directive on Adequate Minimum Income Schemes that establishes common principles, definitions and methods, to achieve a level playing field across Europe. We developed this message in a position paper that was adopted last week by our members.
Such a directive should ask from member states to put in place adequate minimum income schemes that are accessible for all that need them.
An adequate minimum income is an income that is indispensable to live a life in dignity and to fully participate in society, across the life span. It has to be above bare minimum and needs to allow people, including children in poor households, not just to survive but to thrive.
Adequate minimum income schemes play a key role in reducing (the severity of) poverty. They are a corner stone of a well-functioning society and of the larger European social model. They form the basis on which high quality social protection schemes should be built. Ensuring adequate minimum income protection as a tool to fight poverty is also economically sound. Evidence shows that member states with good social welfare policies are among the most competitive and prosperous.
Read Social Platform's position paper on an EU Directive on adequate minimum income
