Proposed Text of the ECI

Below is the text that we will propose to register with the EU for the ECI that should start collecting signatures in 2027:

Objectives

This Initiative wants to establish an Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) in the EU. We see that with the rapid developments in artificial intelligence and robotics, there is an urgent need to decouple our livelihoods from the ability to sell our labour power, as we will soon have a situation where there are not enough jobs for us.

A Basic Income will allow a good life for everyone and will help to create a fairer society. Today, there is more labour that is not paid at all (often done by women) than there is paid labour, and within the sector of paid labour, there are a lot of so-called "Bullshit Jobs" that do not contribute anything useful to society. Often, these jobs depend on the creation of artificial scarcity and have a large ecological footprint.

Therefore, we are asking the European Commission to take swift steps towards implementing a UBI (as defined below). We need a Directive that will mandate the introduction of an Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) within all member states of the EU within a short timeframe. UBI should be considered as a human right.

Annex

Definition of Unconditional Basic Income

Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) does not replace the welfare state; it expands it. The financing of public infrastructure—in the areas of education, health, care, childcare, transport, energy, housing, and culture — must continue to be an important task of the state.

Unconditional Basic Income is defined by the following four criteria:

Universal: UBI is paid to all those who are here, because there must not be two sets of laws for people in the same place. It is paid without a means test and is not subject to income, savings, or property limits. Every person, irrespective of age, descent, citizenship, place of residence, profession, etc., will be entitled to receive this allocation. Thus, we claim an EU-wide, guaranteed, unconditional basic income.

Individual: Everyone has the right to UBI on an individual basis, as this is the only way to ensure privacy and to prevent control over other individuals. UBI will be independent of marital status, cohabitation or household configuration, or of the income or property of other household or family members. This enables individuals to make their own decisions.

Unconditional: As a human and legal right, UBI shall not depend on any preconditions, whether an obligation to take paid employment, to demonstrate a willingness to work, to be involved in community service, or to behave according to any gender roles.

High enough: The amount should provide for a decent standard of living, which meets society’s social and cultural standards in the country concerned. It should prevent material poverty and provide the opportunity to participate in society. This means that the net amount of UBI should be at least above the at-risk-of-poverty level according to EU standards, which corresponds to 60% of the so-called national median net equivalent income. In countries where the majority has low incomes, and therefore median income is low, an alternative benchmark (e.g., a basket of goods and services) should be used to determine the amount of the basic income to guarantee a life in dignity, material security, and full participation in society.

Can it be financed?

As long as there is the same amount of goods and services produced, the UBI just means a redistribution of wealth from the top. Of course, with a UBI, the question is: Who would still work? We already live in a world where most labour is unpaid, and still, people work and have to work. In order not to reduce the amount of goods and services, it makes sense that the financing of a UBI is done in a way that disincentivizes useless "Bullshit Jobs" and artificial scarcity. In this sense, the project of establishing a UBI is a cornerstone in transforming the European economy into an economy that works for the people.