With the European Elections of May 2019 on the horizon, we want to bring together ideas for a new European social contract, that binds countries and citizens in solidarity, while preserving individual freedom and dignity. With the inputs and thoughts of academics, campaigners and active politicians, want to explore how the idea of a universal basic income could transform the European Union and which steps can take us closer to the realisation of that idea.
Therefore, the First Hungarian Unconditional Basic Income Association (FNA-Egyesület), the Progressive Hungary Foundation (MMAA) and Unconditional Basic Income Europe kindly invite you to a
Public Conference
Basic Income in the 2019 European Elections
23 November 2018, Budapest
Institute of Political History / Politikatörténeti Intézet
(Alkotmány u. 2, 1054 Budapest)
Draft Agenda
9:30 Registration
10:00 Welcome
- Ferenc Büttl (Progressive Hungary Foundation)
- Györgyi Szentpéteri (First Hungarian Unconditional Basic Income Association)
- Dániel Fehér (Unconditional Basic Income Europe – UBIE)
10:10 Opening keynote: Re-building a Social Europe
- Gergely Karácsony (Mayor of Zugló, Budapest, Hungary)
10:30 Panel debate: Why Europe needs basic income to survive
- István Bánfalvi (Social policy expert, LÉT group, Hungary)
- Svenja Baukje Dobberstein (Bündnis Grundeinkommen, Germany)
- Barb Jacobson (Basic Income UK)
- Lajos Korózs (social scientist, member of the board of MSZP, Hungary)
- Moderation: Alexandra Köves (Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary)
11:30 Pep talks 1: Ideas for Europe – what basic income policies can we start implementing in the next five years?
- EU-wide basic income experiments – Dániel Fehér (UBIE Chair)
- European basic income (Eurodividend) and the EU Child Benefit – François Denuit (Free University of Brussels, Belgium)
- Agrarian basic income – Elena Ambühl (French Basic Income Movement, t.b.c.)
- Basic income on the blockchain – Hilde Latour (Dutch Basic Income Association)
- A European Eco-Dividend – Ulrich Schachtschneider (energy consultant, UBIE board member, Germany)
- Moderation: Barb Jacobson (Basic Income UK)
12:00 Pep talks 2: Campaigning for basic income
- UBIE campaign plan for the 2019 EP elections – Vladan Lausevic (Sweden)
- Lessons learnt 2013/14 UBI ECI: which messages worked? Barb Jacobson (Basic Income UK)
- Lobbying MEPs: Evidence vs. Storytelling – Leire Rincon (University of Barcelona, UBIE board secretary)
- Basic Income Parties – Lena Stark (Swedish Basic Income Party)
- Starting a new European Citizens Initiative – Bence Tordai (Member of the Hungarian National Assembly, Párbeszéd)
- Moderation: Hilde Latour (Dutch Basic Income Association)
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Workshops
- Parties and basic income
- Lena Stark (Swedish Basic Income Party)
- Svenja Baukje Doberstein (Bündnis Grundeinkommen)
- Barb Jacobson (Basic Income UK)
- Campaigning for a Eurodividend / EU Child Benefit
- François Denuit (Free University of Brussels, Belgium)
- Dániel Fehér (UBIE Chair)
- EU wide basic income experiments (or other topic)
- N.N.
15:00 Coffee
15:15 Closing debate: Turning the basic income idea into political reality in Europe
- Gábor Harangozó (former Member of the European Parliament, MSZP)
- Rebeka Szabó (Deputy Mayor of Zugló, Budapest Hungary)
- Lena Stark (Swedish Basic Income Party)
- Dr. Judit Gébert (University of Szeged, Hungary)
- Moderation: Dániel Fehér (UBIE Chair)
16:00 END
Following the conference, from Friday, 23 November, 6pm to Sunday, 25 November 2pm, UBIE will organise a workshop to elaborate the possibility of starting a new European Citizen Initiative campaign. If you want to participate, please register here.
Partners
First Hungarian Unconditional Basic Income Association (FNA-Egyesület)
The First Hungarian Unconditional Basic Income Association (UBI Association) was founded in 2011 with the intention of spreading widely the idea of Unconditional Basic Income and giving an opportunity to as many people as possible to become familiar with the importance of UBI. Our goal is to have UBI introduced in Hungary as soon as possible. The UBI Association is a full member of the Unconditional Basic Income Europe (UBIE) that connects and coordinates civic organizations working in this field on the European continent.
Progressive Hungary Foundation (MMAA)
Progressive Hungary Foundation was founded in 2014 as a progressive green-left think tank and network. The mission of the Foundation is to promote the values and the vision of social justice, sustainability and active citizenship, to advance democratic participation and to foster environmental sustainability. The Foundation maintains close ties to the Hungarian green-left party Dialogue for Hungary, but works independently and is open to partnership. The board of the foundation includes NGO representatives, financial experts, former MPs, lawyers and entrepreneurs.
Unconditional Basic Income Europe
Unconditional Basic Income Europe (UBIE) is an international network of activists and initiatives. We advocate for the implementation of Basic Income in Europe and its recognition as a Universal Human Right. UBIE was born out of the European Citizens’ Initiative for an Unconditional Basic Income in 2013/14, which gathered the support of over 300,000 EU citizens. Today, we connect over 200 active members from 25 countries across the continent.
Cover photo: CC BY-SA 2.0, Eli Duke / flickr.com