Unconditional Basic Income: report points to 500 euros as the basis for a pilot project in Portugal

Brussels, March 13, 2023 - The idea of an Unconditional Basic Income has been discussed for many decades, but it is still a proposal that faces challenges for large-scale implementation. Against this backdrop, and with the support of the Greens/European Free Alliance, this report by lecturers at the University of Minho presents and discusses the existing funding models for an IBI, and points out the need for the government to create a pilot project, with a multidisciplinary team based on the value of 500 euros per person in the sample.

The authors of this report emphasize “that any proposal for an RBI in Portugal should consider that the public provision of services, e.g. health, education, housing should be kept intact when an RBI is implemented”, and that a possible proposal for an RBI in Portugal “should discuss the possibility of an RBI set at a value close to the poverty line - between 500 and 570 EUR/month for adults”.

In conclusion, the authors argue that “taking into account the models presented for Portugal, it is worth considering some considerations for a future study aimed at replicating some models that have been conducted elsewhere”.

“This study points to the urgency of allocating funds in the state budget to implement a pilot RBI project in Portugal that improves the welfare state and effectively combats poverty in the country,” says Francisco Guerreiro MEP.

In 2022, Francisco Guerreiro MEP launched the 12-episode documentary “RBI: A Path to Freedom” with various personalities from politics, health, education, science, the arts and research, among others. This 12-part documentary explains how RBI works and the advantages of adopting this income. In addition, a study was carried out which shows that 76% of respondents are in favor of implementing this social and economic measure in Portugal.

“The Socialist Party's absolute majority must be a catalyst for these socio-economic tests, because new models for distributing wealth, which incorporate all the societal costs, be they monitoring public health, access to education, civic and political participation, strengthening democratic institutions, and decarbonizing the economy, are necessary to project Portugal into the 21st century,” says Francisco Guerreiro.

About RBI: An Unconditional Basic Income (hereinafter referred to as RBI) is an income of sufficient amount to guarantee decent living conditions, paid unconditionally in cash to all citizens and legal residents of a political community, without regard to the financial situation of the beneficiaries. An RBI is characterized by being universal (for everyone in a given political community), individual (unlike other benefits that are granted to families), unconditional, i.e. without obligations, and ideally should be of an amount sufficient to guarantee decent living conditions.

Francisco Guerreiro MEP's question to the European Commission:

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-005090_EN.html 


You can consult the report here: https://rbidoc.

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