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.

1. The European Citizens’ Initiative for
Unconditional Basic Income
facebook.com/ECI.BasicIncome
@BasicIncomeEU
BasicIncomeEurope
www.basicincome2013.eu
2013: the year basic income made it back to the table

2. Back in 2012, a group of 30 people started to
prepare the initiative
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picture
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
Our first meeting in Brussels, April 28th 2012

3. place for
national flag
WORDS FROM AUSTRIA
"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."
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
Klaus Sambor, general organiser of the ECI
for Unconditional Basic Income
Berlin, September 2013

4. At first, just 13 countries were involved
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picture
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
In green, the countries participating to the ECI

5. Throughout 2013, twelve more countries
joined the initiative
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
In light green, countries that joined the ECI

6. place for
national flag
WORDS FROM ESTONIA
“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.
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
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.”
Jaanus Nurmoja
coordinator of the ECI in Estonia
Photo by Kalju Suur

7. Several countries saw, for the first time ever,
major events about basic income
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
Pictures from events in Greece, Czech Republic, Poland.

8. Discussions of UBI made it into major media
outlets
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
El Mundo, RT, Le Monde, BusinessWeek,
TAZ, Rue89 and many others have

9. place for
national flag
WORDS FROM BULGARIA
"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!”
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
Tsvetelina Kalyasheva
coordinator of the ECI in Bulgaria
Tsvetelina Kalyasheva on TV

10. The movement is growing… and accelerating
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
Almost 100,000 signatures were collected in the last 30 days of the campaign

11. The world has never talked so much about
basic income
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
Evolution of searches on “basic income” (source: Google Trends)

12. place for
national flag
WORDS FROM BELGIUM
"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."
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
Philippe Van Parijs
Founder of the Basic Income
Earth Network
Brussels, sept 2013

13. 34 members of the EU parliament supported us
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
« Unconditional Basic Income would transform social security from a compensatory
system into an emancipatory system » - Statement of support signed by 34 MEPs

14. place for
national flag
WORDS FROM IRELAND
“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.”
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
Sean Healy
Director of Social Justice Ireland
picture of the speaker here

15. So what’s next in 2014?
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu

16. How many MEPs will support UBI in the EU
Parliament in 2014?
ECI-UBI
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
EU elections will next take place in May 2014

17. We keep collecting signatures!
European Citizens' Initiative for
an Unconditional Basic Income
www.basicincome2013.eu
All signatures collected on Avaaz will be delivered to relevant EU institutions

18. Keep in touch with us!
facebook.com/ECI.BasicIncome
@BasicIncomeEU
BasicIncomeEurope
www.basicincome2013.eu
Author: Stanislas Jourdan
Design: Ondřej Klouček
contact@basicincome2013.eu