Prior to the informal meeting of the Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs in Athens on April 29-30, the Social Platform is calling on the ministers to put in place accessible adequate minimum income schemes as the basis for high level social protection across the life span and as economic stabilisers.
The Social Platform is calling for the recognition of the right to an adequate minimum income as a fundamental right and for the adoption of a EU framework directive on adequate minimum income schèmes which establishes common principles, definitions of adequacy, and methods across Europe. It further highlights adequate minimum income protection as a tool to fight poverty with positive impacts in terms of prosperity and competitiveness.
AGE representative was part of the Social Platform delegation. When addressing the Presidency Trio, AGE insisted on the need to focus minimum income support – as part of integrated active inclusion strategies – also on people with low or no capacity to work. For population groups, such as disabled persons, long-term unemployed including a large number of workers 50+ or some single parents, the job activation is not an option and, therefore, should not be a pre-condition for receive income support. AGE concluded that right to minimum income schemes should be recognised as a fundamental right to ensure everyone’s dignity and independence across the entire life span.
For more information, visit the Social Platform website or contact,Maciej.kucharczyk@age-platform.Eu