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A Universal Basic Pension for Europe's Elderly: Options and Pitfalls

Author

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  • Goedemé Tim

    (University of Antwerp)

  • Van Lancker Wim

    (University of Antwerp)

Abstract

In this article we explore the implementation of a European basic pension (BP) scheme as a means of combating financial poverty of Europe's elderly. As earlier contributions already outlined the practical and ethical arguments that favour a European basic income, we assume that a basic income is philosophically and ethically justified and that the European Union has a crucial role to play in its implementation. In this article, we broaden the scope of the discussion to examining the various (and often technical) options, difficulties and pitfalls associated with the practical design and implementation of a harmonised European minimum income scheme. We first offer an overview of minimum income guarantees for the elderly in Europe. Second, we make a detailed assessment of the issues involved in the design of a BP. Third, we shed some light on the European dimension of this proposal and conclude with a sketch of three possible BP scenarios. Our findings confirm that it is one thing to be in favour of BP, but another to design a realistic and politically feasible proposal.

Suggested Citation

  • Goedemé Tim & Van Lancker Wim, 2009. "A Universal Basic Pension for Europe's Elderly: Options and Pitfalls," Basic Income Studies, De Gruyter, vol. 4(1), pages 1-26, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bistud:v:4:y:2009:i:1:n:5
    DOI: 10.2202/1932-0183.1119
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    Cited by:

    1. Matsaganis Manos & Leventi Chrysa, 2011. "Pathways to a Universal Basic Pension in Greece," Basic Income Studies, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 1-20, October.
    2. Figari, Francesco & Matsaganis, Manos & Sutherland, Holly, 2011. "The financial well-being of older people in Europe and the redistributive effects of minimum pension schemes," EUROMOD Working Papers EM7/11, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    3. Tim Goedemé & Lorena Zardo Trindade & Frank Vandenbroucke, 2017. "A Pan-European Perspective on Low-Income Dynamics in the EU," Working Papers 1703, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    4. Natascha Van Mechelen & Sarah Marchal & Tim Goedemé & Ive Marx & Bea Cantillon, 2011. "The CSB-Minimum Income Protection Indicators dataset (CSB-MIPI)," Working Papers 1105, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.

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