In Europe

The state of the UBI debate across European member states.

From the 2013 European Citizens Initiative to current parliamentary debates - a country-by-country overview of where the discussion stands.

1,285,000

Verified signatures on the 2013 ECI

24

EU member states with signatories

9

Countries with active UBI policy proposals in 2024

Country tracker

Where does each country stand?

Current status of UBI debate and legislation by member state.

History

Key moments in European UBI policy

2013

European Citizens Initiative launched

The ECI for Unconditional Basic Income gathers 1,285,000 verified signatures across 24 member states in under a year - one of the largest ECI campaigns in history.

2017

Finland launches the first national-scale UBI pilot

The Kela-administered pilot selects 2,000 unemployed adults to receive 560 EUR per month with no conditions for two years. No comparable study had previously been run at national scale. Read the full pilot breakdown.

2019

European Parliament resolution on basic income

The European Parliament passes a non-binding resolution calling on member states to consider basic income pilots as part of their social protection reform strategies. Analysis from the Bruegel think tank estimates a European income floor at 200-400 EUR per month would require 3-7% of EU GDP depending on means-testing assumptions.

2021

Germany begins a private-funded pilot

The Mein Grundeinkommen (My Basic Income) initiative begins a three-year study with 122 participants receiving 1,200 EUR per month, funded by public donations.

2022

Ireland launches a basic income for artists

The Irish government introduces a three-year basic income pilot for artists and creative workers, the first state-funded sector-specific basic income scheme in Europe.

2024

Growing parliamentary momentum

At least 9 EU member states have active UBI-related proposals in national parliaments, reflecting a decade of evidence accumulation from pilots worldwide.