the year basic income made it back to the table
DESCRIPTION
In 2013, a european citizens' initiative collected 285,000 signatures in 10 months. The initiative did not pass the required million signatures but succeeded in reviving the debate about unconditional basic income in Europe.TRANSCRIPT
The European Citizens’ Initiative for Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
facebook.com/ECI.BasicIncome
@BasicIncomeEU
BasicIncomeEurope 2013: the year basic income made it back to the table
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Our first meeting in Brussels, April 28th 2012
Back in 2012, a group of 30 people started to prepare the initiative
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Klaus Sambor, general organiser of the ECI for Unconditional Basic Income
Berlin, September 2013
"This initiative emerged after a long process of cross-border discussions. We came to the conclusion that the European project could be hugely strengthened with a basic income in Europe, and therefore, a first European campaign should be organized to raise awareness. Using a direct democracy tool like the European Citizens Initiative was a symbolic opportunity to match our goal with means."
WORDS FROM AUSTRIA
place for national flag
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
At first, just 13 countries were involved
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In green, the countries participating to the ECI
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Throughout 2013, twelve more countries joined the initiative
In light green, countries that joined the ECI
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Jaanus Nurmoja coordinator of the ECI in Estonia
Photo by Kalju Suur
WORDS FROM ESTONIA
place for national flag
“In the middle of November 2013 I heard about the ECI and since I was familiar with the idea I wrote an article for a weekly newspaper. Through social networks, I found another UBI activist in Estonia and we two started to work together.
Our message was clear, short and figurative. “Nobody should eat from anybody’s hand” was its axis, “WE are innovative, WE sign” was our call. This is the secret of how Estonia reached its quotum of signatures.”European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Several countries saw, for the first time ever, major events about basic income
Pictures from events in Greece, Czech Republic, Poland.
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Discussions of UBI made it into major media outlets
El Mundo, RT, Le Monde, BusinessWeek, TAZ, Rue89 and many others have reported about UBI the past year
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Tsvetelina Kalyashevacoordinator of the ECI in Bulgaria
Tsvetelina Kalyasheva on TV
"With no financial resources, but full dedication and openness, we managed to get support from Bulgarian National Radio, Metro Advertising Agency, Union of Artists and Union of Economists, European Anti Poverty Network and last but not least, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB), which by itself made us reach 230% of our goal in a couple of days.
This breakthrough attracted the media’s attention. An avalanche of TV and radio appearances and newspaper articles engaged social discussions in Bulgaria. And this is only the beginning!”
WORDS FROM BULGARIA
place for national flag
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Almost 100,000 signatures were collected in the last 30 days of the campaign
The movement is growing… and accelerating
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Evolution of searches on “basic income” (source: Google Trends)
The world has never talked so much about basic income
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Brussels, sept 2013
"Never has there been an international movement of this magnitude in favour of an unconditional basic income, nor indeed to my knowledge in favour of any other social policy reform."
WORDS FROM BELGIUM
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Philippe Van Parijs Founder of the Basic Income
Earth Network
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
« Unconditional Basic Income would transform social security from a compensatory system into an emancipatory system » - Statement of support signed by 34 MEPs
34 members of the EU parliament supported us
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Sean HealyDirector of Social Justice Ireland
picture of the speaker here
“As an independent Think Tank, Social Justice Ireland has been promoting Basic Income in Ireland for 25 years. The fact that half of our MEPs, from across the political spectrum, agreed to support the initiative, is a rewarding result of our long-run efforts to make our policymakers aware of the issue.”
WORDS FROM IRELAND
place for national flag
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
So what’s next in 2014?
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
EU elections will next take place in May 2014
ECI-UBIEuropean Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
How many MEPs will support UBI in the EU Parliament in 2014?
All signatures collected on Avaaz will be delivered to relevant EU institutions
We keep collecting signatures!
European Citizens' Initiative foran Unconditional Basic Incomewww.basicincome2013.eu
Keep in touch with us!
www.basicincome2013.eu
facebook.com/ECI.BasicIncome
@BasicIncomeEU
Author: Stanislas JourdanDesign: Ondřej Klouček
BasicIncomeEurope