The European Commission registered a European citizens’ initiative (ECI), entitled ‘Introduction of Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) throughout the EU’.
The organisers of the initiative consider 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. Therefore, the organisers ask – the European Commission to take all necessary and legal steps that can help with the introduction of UBI in EU member states, and to issue a recommendation for member states to work on the introduction of UBI.
As this initiative fulfils the formal conditions established in the relevant legislation, the Commission considers it legally admissible under the European Citizens’ Initiative Regulation. The Commission has not analysed the substance of the proposals at this stage. The registration does not influence the Commission’s final decision on its merits, or any potential action it may take. The Commission will take a decision on the initiative only if it meets the relevant criteria, including collecting at least one million valid signatures from EU citizens.
Next steps
Following today’s registration, the organisers have six months to open the 12-month period of signature collection. If an ECI receives at least one million valid statements of support during that time, with minimum numbers reached in at least seven Member States, the Commission is required to react, and decide what, if any, action it will take in response to the initiative, justifying its decision.
Background
The ECI was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty as an agenda-setting tool for citizens. It was officially launched in April 2012. Once formally registered, a European citizens’ initiative allows one million citizens from at least seven EU Member States to invite the Commission to propose legal acts in areas where it has the power to act. The conditions for admissibility are: (1) the proposed action does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a legal proposal, (2) it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious and (3) it is not manifestly contrary to the values of the Union.
Since the beginning of the European citizens’ initiative, the Commission has registered 132 initiatives.
The content of the initiative only expresses the views of the organisers and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Commission.
