22. 6. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 163/3 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Draft recommendation by the Council 
Recommendation on common criteria concerning sufficient resources and social assistance in the 
social protection systems 
(91/C 163/03) 
COM(91) 161 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 13 May 1991) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 
thereof, 
Having regard to the draft recommendation submitted 
by the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas reinforcing social cohesion within the 
Community requires the encouragement of solidarity 
with regard to the least favoured and most vulnerable 
citizens; 
Whereas social exclusion processes and risks of poverty 
have become more prevalent and more diversified over 
the last 10 years due primarly to a combination of devel­
opments in the labour market with, in particular, growth 
in long-term unemployment, and in family structures 
with, in particular, growth in social isolation; 
Whereas there is a need for general development 
policies, which can contribute towards halting the stated 
structural trends, to be accompanied by integration 
policies of a specific, systematic and coherent nature; 
Whereas as a result, social policies efforts and outcomes 
need to be pursued and these policies adapted to the 
multi-dimensional nature of social exclusion, which requires to link to the various forms of immediate 
assistance needed measures aiming expressly at the 
economic and social integration of the people concerned; 
Whereas insufficient, irregular and uncertain resources 
do not allow people in this predicament to play an 
adequate part in the economic and social life of the 
society in which they live nor to successfully integrate 
economically and socially, and a right to sufficient, 
stable and reliable resources should be recognized to 
those least favoured as part of a comprehensive set of 
provisions for supporting their integration; 
Whereas the Council and the Ministers for Social Affairs 
meeting within the Council of 29 September 1989 
adopted a resolution on combating social exclusion ('), 
stressing that it should be considered an important part 
of the social dimension of the single market; 
Whereas the Community Charter of the Fundamental 
Social Rights of Workers solemnly recognized in its 
preamble and in its Articles 10 and 25 the necessity of 
combating social exclusion and, to this end, of guaran­
teeing sufficient resources and benefits; 
Whereas the Commission has included this fundamental 
aspect of the fight against social exclusion in its action 
programme relating to the implementation of the 
Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of 
Workers, and stressing the value of a Community 
initiative, in a spirit of solidarity, to assist the least 
advantaged citizens of the Community and the elderly in 
particular, whose social situation all too often resembles 
that of persons excluded from the labour market; 
(') OJ No C 277, 31. 10. 1989. 
No C 163/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 6. 91 
Whereas the implementation of a guarantee of benefits 
and resources in the social protection systems should 
take account of the diversity of the organizational and 
financial structures of these systems and should be 
considered in conjunction with the strategy for the 
convergence of social protection policies laid down in 
the abovementioned action programme and promoted by 
the Social Affairs Council of 29 September 1989; 
Whereas the European Parliament declared in favour of 
introducing a guaranteed minimum income as a means of 
integrating the poorest citizens in the Member States ('); 
Whereas the Economic and Social Committee has also 
recommended the introduction of a minimum social 
income to act as both a safety net for the poor and a 
means for their reintegration into society (2); 
Whereas the Treaty only provides for the powers laid 
down in Article 235 for the attainment of objectives, 
RECOMMENDS THAT THE MEMBER STATES: 
A. recognize the individual basic right to a guarantee of 
sufficient benefits and resources as part of a compre­
hensive and systematic drive to combat social 
exclusion, and adapt their social protection systems, 
as necessary, according to the following principles 
and orientations; 
B. recognize this right according to the following 
general principles: 
1. It is to be an individual basic right, based on 
needs; 
2. It is to be extended to all persons residing, in 
accordance with the national and Community 
provisions in these matters, within the territory of 
the Member State; 
3. Every person who does not have access to 
resources equal to or higher than a specified 
amount is to have access to the right, subject to 
active availability for work in the case of those 
who have reached the age of civil majority and 
whose age, health and family situations permit 
professional activity; 
4. Access is not to be subject to time limits, assuming 
that the conditions governing access remain 
(') O] No C 262, 10. 10. 1988. 
O OJ No C 221, 28. 8. 1989. fulfilled and on the understanding that, in 
practice, the right may be granted for limited but 
renewable periods; 
5. This form of assistance is to be a complementary 
measure of general social protection; 
6. It is to be accompanied by policies necessary for 
economic and social integration of those 
concerned, and in particular for their automatic 
access to health protection and for their access to 
rights, services or benefits, particularly with regard 
to housing and training; 
C. organize the implementation of this right according 
to the following practical orientations: 
1. — Fixing the amount of resources considered 
sufficient to cover essential needs beyond 
subsistence levels, according to living standards 
and price levels in the Member State 
concerned, for different types and sizes of 
household, 
— fixing here the necessary supplementary 
assistance required to meet specific needs; in 
order to fix these amounts referring to appro­
priate indicators, in particular average 
disposable income in the Member State, stat­
istical data on household consumption or the 
legal minimum wage if this exists, 
— establishing arrangements for periodic revision 
of these amounts, based on these indicators, in 
order that needs continue to be covered. 
2. Granting to people whose resources, taken at the 
level of the individual or the household, are lower 
that the amount thus fixed increased if necessary 
by the appropriate supplementary assistance 
required, differential financial aid to bring them 
up to the amount. 
3. Taking the required measures properly to avoid 
that the impact of the financial support granted 
could be limited by the implementation of the 
regulations in force in the areas of taxation, civil 
obligation and social security. 
4. Taking all measures required to offer the 
concerned persons appropriate social support, 
comprising measures such as, in particular, 
reception and counselling, information and legal 
aid. 
22. 6. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 163/5 
5. Adopting arrangements towards the taking up or 
furthering employment or participation in training 
courses to prepare for entering or re-entering 
employment of persons whose age and conditions 
makes them available for work. 
6. Taking the required measures properly to inform 
the most deprived of this right and simplifying as 
far as possible the administrative procedures and 
arrangements for examining means and situations 
involved in claiming this right; organizing an 
efficient simple fast and free appeals machinery 
using independent third parties such as tribunals; 
D. guaranteeing this form of financial support within the 
framework of assistance arrangements of social 
protection; the methods to be used, the cost to be 
borne, the administration and the implementation to 
be organized in accordance with national legislation 
and practice; 
E. implement the measures laid down in this recommen­
dation progressively, possibly divided according to 
age groups, within five years following its adoption; F. take appropriate measures to collect information 
systematically on the effectiveness of arrangements 
for access to these measures for people in difficulty, 
and for conducting a methodical evaluation of their 
implementation and impact, 
AND THEREFORE ASKS THE COMMISSION: 
1. to encourage and organize, in cooperation with the 
Member States, the systematic exchange of infor­
mation and experiences and the continued evaluation 
of the national provisions adopted; 
2. to submit to the Council, the European Parliament 
and the Economic and Social Committee within three 
years following the adoption of this recommendation 
and, afterwards, periodically, a report based on infor­
mation supplied by the Member States describing the 
progress achieved and obstacles encountered during 
its implementation.