Adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion 2023/C 41/01 - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 41/1

With a view to ensure a life in dignity at all stages of life, this Recommendation aims at combatting poverty and social exclusion and at pursuing high levels of employment by promoting adequate income support, in particular by means of minimum income, and effective access to enabling and essential services for persons lacking sufficient resources and by fostering labour market integration of those who can work in line with the active inclusion approach.

Pursuant to Article 151 TFEU, the Union and the Member States have as their objectives, amongst others, the promotion of employment, improved living and working conditions, proper social protection and the combating of exclusion.

Article 34 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (1) provides that the Union recognises and respects the entitlements to social security benefits and social services. It also provides that everyone residing and moving legally within the Union is entitled to social security benefits and social advantages and that, in order to combat social exclusion and poverty, the Union recognises and respects the right to social and housing assistance in order to ensure a decent existence for those that lack sufficient resources.

Council Recommendation 92/441/EEC (2) on common criteria concerning sufficient resources and social assistance in social protection systems recommends that Member States recognise the basic right of a person to sufficient resources and social assistance to live in a manner compatible with human dignity as part of a comprehensive and consistent drive to combat social exclusion, and recommends adapting their social protection systems, as necessary. In view of the content of this Recommendation, it is appropriate to replace Recommendation 92/441/EEC.

Commission Recommendation 2008/867/EC (3) on the active inclusion of people excluded from the labour market sets out a comprehensive strategy to facilitate the integration into sustainable, quality employment of those who can work and to provide resources which are sufficient to live in dignity, together with support for social participation, for those who cannot. This integrated approach, based on a combination of three policy strands: adequate income support, inclusive labour markets and access to quality services, is particularly important for persons furthest from the labour market or excluded from society.

In November 2017, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights (4), setting out 20 principles to support well-functioning and fair labour markets and welfare systems. Principle 14 states that everyone lacking sufficient resources has the right to adequate minimum income benefits ensuring a life in dignity at all stages of life, and effective access to enabling goods and services and that, for those who can work, minimum income benefits should be combined with incentives to (re)integrate into the labour market.

In its communication of 4 March 2021 entitled ‘The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan’ (5) the Commission set out the ambition for a strong social Europe. In June 2021, the European Council welcomed the Union social target on poverty reduction in line with the Porto Declaration, signed by the Heads of State and Government on 8 May 2021...