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A Guaranteed Minimum Income for EuropeÂ’’s Elderly. Options and Pitfalls in the Design of a Harmonised Basic Pension Scheme in the European Union

Author

Listed:
  • Tim Goedemé
  • Wim Van Lancker

Abstract

Harmonisation of social security systems is back on the agenda of European policy makers. However, the introduction of a harmonised scheme poses severe challenges. In this article we explore some options and difficulties associated with the implementation of a harmonised minimum income protection scheme for the elderly. As earlier contributions to the literature already outlined the practical and ethical arguments in favour of a European basic pension, we take the proposal of a European basic income for the elderly as our starting point and assume that a basic income is philosophically and ethically justified. In this paper, we try to broaden the scope of the discussion to the various and often technical options, difficulties and pitfalls associated with the practical design and implementation of a harmonised European minimum income scheme. Hence, 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 basic pension. Third, we shed some light on the European dimension of this proposal to, finally, conclude with a sketch of three possible ‘basic pension scenarios’. Our findings confirm that it is one thing to be in favour of a harmonised scheme of minimum income protection, but another to design a realistic and politically feasible proposal.

Suggested Citation

  • Tim Goedemé & Wim Van Lancker, 2009. "A Guaranteed Minimum Income for EuropeÂ’’s Elderly. Options and Pitfalls in the Design of a Harmonised Basic Pension Scheme in the European Union," Working Papers 0901, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    • Handle: RePEc:hdl:wpaper:0901
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Gautier, Axel & Wauthy, Xavier, 2012. "Competitively neutral universal service obligations," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 254-261.
    2. Frieda Vandeninden, 2010. "Social Pensions in Europe: The Aim, The Impact and The Cost," CREPP Working Papers 1007, Centre de Recherche en Economie Publique et de la Population (CREPP) (Research Center on Public and Population Economics) HEC-Management School, University of Liège.
    3. Artner, Annamária, 2013. "A fiatalok munkanélküliségének kérdéséhez Európa példáján keresztül [Contribution to the problem of the youth unemployment through the example of Europe]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(12), pages 1370-1392.
    4. Vandeninden, Frieda, 2012. "A Simulation of Social Pensions in Europe," MERIT Working Papers 2012-008, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

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