(15 May 2020) – Today, the European Commission decided to register two European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) entitled ‘Start Unconditional Basic Incomes (UBI) throughout the EU’ and ‘Freedom to share’.
The objective of ‘Start Unconditional Basic Incomes (UBI) throughout the EU’ is ‘to establish the introduction of unconditional basic incomes throughout the EU which ensure every person’s material existence and opportunity to participate in society as part of its economic policy, […] while remaining within the competences conferred to the EU by the Treaties.’
The organisers specify that the unconditional basic income should be ‘universal’, ‘individual’, ‘unconditional’ and ‘high enough’. They call on the Commission to make a proposal for such unconditional basic incomes, which would reduce regional disparities.
The objective of ‘Freedom to share’ is ‘to legalise sharing – via digital networks, for personal use and non-profit purposes – of files containing works and other material protected by copyright, related rights and sui generis database rights, with a view to striking a balance between the rights of authors and other rightholders and the universal right to science and culture.’
The organisers call the Commission to amend the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (2019/790), Database Directive (96/9/EC) and Copyright Directive (2001/29/EC).