USBIG reports that Muqtada al-Sadr, the militant Iraqi leader, has endorsed sharing Iraq’s oil revenue among all Iraqis. Some observers speculate that he has been influenced by the idea, discussed widely by Americans early in the occupation, of establishing a program in Iraq based on Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend. An article on Sadr’s demand is online at: www.informationclearinghouse.info/article27257.htm
On July 8, 2010, the Greek Parliament approved a basic pension. It is fixed at €360 per month in 2010 prices, paid 12 times a year, will be available with no means test to all those who lived in the country for 35 years between the ages of 15 and 65. It will be pro-rated for those who have lived in the country for less than that time, and available on a means-tested basis for others. The new program, of course, falls short of full universality, but this move could be a step toward a universal basic pension. An article on the creation of a basic pension in Greece will be published in the April 2011 issue of Basic Income Studies. Entitled, “Pathways to a Universal Basic Pension in Greece.” It is written by Manos Matsaganis and Chrysa Leventi, both of the Athens University of Economics and Business.
Former French Prime Minister (2005-2007) Dominique de Villepin is well-known for his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq – at the time he was a Minister for Foreign Affairs. Many will remember his speech at the United Nations Security Council on Feb. 14, 2003, in front of US Secretary of State Colin Powell. Quite surprisingly, de Villepin has recently launched a basic income campaign, which is supposed to be a central feature of his electoral platform in prospect of the 2012 Presidential election.
For further details, see: https://www.republiquesolidaire.fr/
In October 2010, the Parliament of the European Union has adopted a non-legislative resolution on the role of minimum income in combating poverty and promoting an inclusive society in Europe, partly thanks to the lobbying by several European Basic Income groups and networks, as well as by the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN). The resolution was adopted by 437 votes to 162, with 33 abstentions. The EU Parliament now urges Member States to establish a threshold for minimum income, based on relevant indicators that will guarantee social-economic cohesion, reduce the risk of uneven levels of remuneration for the same activities and lower the risk of having poor populations throughout the EU. Stressing the multifaceted nature of poverty, EU-Parliament considers that minimum income schemes should be embedded in a strategic approach towards social integration, involving both general policies and targeted measures – in terms of housing, health care, education and training, social services – helping people to recover from poverty and themselves to take action towards social inclusion and access to the labor market. Parliament points out that some member States do not have minimum income systems and called on those that do not to provide them. The resolution underlines that introducing minimum income schemes – consisting of specific measures supporting people whose income is insufficient with a funding supply and facilitated access to services – is one of the most effective ways to combat poverty, guarantee an adequate standard of living and foster social integration. According to Parliament, adequate minimum income schemes must set minimum incomes at a level equivalent to at least “60% of average income in the Member State concerned” (average, not median income, whereas the EU official poverty line is at 60% of the median).
The Citizen’s Income Trust (CIT), the British basic income network, is organizing several sessions at the Social Policy Association Conference to be held in Lincoln (UK). These sessions will be on all aspects of basic income, including one or two sessions that aim to provide a coherent social policy in which a basic income scheme provides a core. All participants must register with the SPA. Further details of the conference are available on www.lincoln.ac.uk/conferences/SPA2011. The conference starts with lunch on Monday July 4 and ends with lunch on Wednesday July 6. For more information, contact Annie Miller at: info@citizensincome.org
