In the light of ongoing socio-economic transformation and the emergence of new forms of work, social policy and the question of how to provide basic social protection to citizens have returned to the top of the European Union’s agenda. Among the various initiatives on the table at EU level, the idea of a minimum income and equal access to social protection is gaining increasing traction. Last October the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on member states to introduce adequate minimum income policies as a tool for fighting poverty and social exclusion. At the same time, alternative solutions, such as a Universal Basic Income, have also been under discussion.
At this Head-to-Head debate, speakers discussed these two alternative ways of guaranteeing social protection and addressing the growing social challenges of the twenty-first century. Anne Van Lancker is Policy Coordinator at the European Minimum Income Network and a former Member of the European Parliament. Yannick Vanderborght is Professor of Political Science at Université Saint-Louis, member of the International Advisory Board of the Basic Income Earth Network and author of numerous publications in favour of universal basic income. This event was part of the newly launched EPC project on ‘Future of work – Towards a progressive agenda for all’ and will feed into the work of our Task Force on ‘Social protection in the 21st century’’.
Speakers included: Claire Dhéret, Head of Social Europe & Well-being Programme, European Policy Centre, Yannick Vanderborght, Professor of Political Science, Université Saint-Louis, Anne Van Lancker, Policy Coordinator, European Minimum Income Network.