Countries: Hungary

Daniel Muth

PhD student in Public Policy at Central European University (CEU), Vienna. 

Interests : Climate Economy
Countries : Hungary

Daniel is a PhD student in Public Policy at Central European University (CEU), Vienna and he is a research fellow at the Institute of World Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Budapest. His research focuses on the political economy of global carbon pricing mechanisms. Specifically, he analyzes how the (re)distribution effects of these climate policies and changing the incentive structures around carbon pricing (via compensation mechanisms, green industrialization, etc.) financed from revenue recycling, are then translated into different levels of stringency. He has been involved in numerous academic and policy projects on sustainability transition in the Central and Eastern European region. 

Daniel’s degrees include a BA in Political Science (from the University of Pécs, Hungary), BA in Economics (Budapest Metropolitan University, Hungary); an MA in Public Administration (Radboud University, the Netherlands). His multiple theses focused on wider political economy issues such as the influence of EU-level interest groups on environmental policy, and the expansion of the China-Africa economic relationship. 

Lukáš Siegel

PhD candidate University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava

Interests : Social Europe
Countries : Hungary Slovakia

Lukáš Siegel holds a degree in philosophy from the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava and political science from Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts. His primary focus is on different ethical theories, the concept of human rights, issues of discrimination, stigma, and prejudices. He recently earned PhD in philosophy focusing on discrimination against people with disabilities with a special interest in different models of disability.

The European Basic Income

Working Groups
European Basic Income

Across the political spectrum, there is widespread agreement that the European Union (EU) needs a palpable social dimension. In this FEPS YAN policy study, the authors provide a research-driven policy proposal on how this social dimension can be achieved in the light of the diversity of national welfare systems in the EU.

They argue that a Universal Basic Income (UBI) could be a conceptually appealing policy to be implemented at EU level, complementing national welfare states. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the policy is receiving unprecedented and ever-increasing attention, and enjoys widespread public popularity, but is viewed with scepticism by major political parties.

This paper is a unified source of information for progressive policymakers, advocates, consultants, and researchers who are interested in (a) how a European UBI could be concretely designed and (b) the reasoning and justifications behind its concrete design decisions. In order to formulate a policy proposal that could potentially foster cross- partisan compromises and move public policy preferences and political reality closer together, the authors conducted a comprehensive review of historical and contemporary UBI debates, gathered the key arguments presented in academic, popular, political, and organisational sources, and reflected on them from logical, normative, and empirical perspectives.

Based on the most plausible arguments for and against a UBI, they designed a concrete policy proposal for a UBI at the EU level that responds to broadly progressive ideals from different partisan backgrounds. The result is an ambitious yet feasible proposal that bridges political divides and, if implemented, would be the most substantial leap for Social Europe yet.

Read the paper:
The European Basic Income

Political Mentor: S&D MEP Agnes Jongerius
Academic Mentor: Lorena Lombardozzi, Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Open University.

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