Focus panel 4 – Unlocking a just and sustainable economy through Universal Basic Services

Summary

Moving towards a just and sustainable European and global economy requires universal access to life’s essentials - what everyone needs to live well, now and in future. The term Universal Basic Services (UBS) conveys a range of collective measures, enacted through democratic institutions, to ensure that needs are met universally and sufficiently within planetary boundaries: chiefly, public services backed by investment of public funds and regulation for quality and sustainability. Prioritising and radically extending UBS signifies a materially better life for the many by directly reducing poverty and inequality while making reductions in private consumption possible. What is needed to design Universal Basic Services in ways that are growth-independent, broaden economic participation and strengthen democracy? Which experiences can be built on and what could the EU do to promote UBS internally and through its international cooperation?

Chair

• Petros Kokkalis - MEP (The Left), Beyond Growth Conference organiser

Speakers

• Anna Coote - Principal Fellow, New Economics Foundation
• Kahina Rabahi - Policy and advocacy coordinator, European Anti-Poverty Network
• Giacomo D’Alisa - Maria Zambrano Fellow, Autonomous University of Barcelona
• Corinna Dengler - Assistant Professor, University of Vienna