The S&Ds have today secured a joint call of the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee for a much-needed European legislation on the minimum income scheme*. An adequate minimum income is necessary to help families in need to pay the bills and live in dignity. That is why it was important to include this call in the resolution on adequate minimum income, adopted this morning.

Estrella Durá Ferrandis, MEP and co-rapporteur on the Parliament’s resolution on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion, said: 

“The call for a European legislation on the minimum income scheme is a real added value of this resolution. Various key social actors, including trade unions and other civil society organisations, support this as well.

“When the European Commission presented its recommendation on the minimum income scheme last September, we warned that this was not enough to tackle the social crisis and that we needed a binding instrument. We then called for a European legislation on this issue in our winter solidarity plan to bring the bills down. We will continue our efforts to include this important point in the Parliament’s resolution with the vote at the plenary expected in February.

“An adequate minimum income is indispensable, especially in times of social and economic crises, such as the one we are experiencing now.” 

Agnes Jongerius MEP, S&D spokesperson on employment, added:

“After we succeeded in anchoring an adequate minimum wage in the European law, we need to do the same with the minimum income. The recommendation proposed by the European Commission is clearly not enough. We need to help Europeans who are struggling to pay their bills. We need a binding European minimum income scheme and we need it now.

“An adequate minimum income scheme is key to combatting poverty. In 2021, over 95 million Europeans were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Reducing this number by at least 15 million by 2030 is one of the main goals of the European Pillar of Social Rights that we all subscribed to.” 

Note to editors:

*Minimum income schemes provide financial and/or material support to individuals and families in need. When well designed, they are an important tool to combat poverty and social exclusion. Often, they are the last resort of social protection. The support is usually linked to certain criteria, such as citizenship or a means test. Minimum income schemes should not be confused with minimum wages for workers or a general basic income for all citizens.