THE ROLE OF MINIMUM INCOME IN POVERTY POLICY IN COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

U ovom radu je prikazana uloga minimalnog dohotka u borbi protiv siromaštva u zemljama Europske unije. Naime, prikazani su uvjeti za ostvarivanje prava na minimalni dohodak, iznosi na koje pojedinac ili obitelj ima pravo i drugi uvjeti i prava koji se vezuju uz minimalni dohodak. Navedeno je prikazano za pojedine zemlje, i to upravo one zemlje koje igraju važniju ulogu u kreiraju socijalne politike Europske unije. Uz to prikazana je i uloga same Europske unije u borbi protiv siromaštva i njen utjecaj na nacionalne politike od kojih traži da omogući pristojan standard svim građanima. U ovom radu došli smo do zaključka da postoje velike razlike u nacionalnim politikama kada se radi o ostvarivanju prava na minimalnu naknadu. To znači da se uvelike razlikuju uvjeti za ostvarivanje minimalnog dohotka i iznosi koje pojedinac ili obitelj može ostvariti. Dalje iz toga proizlazi kako minimalni dohodak, kao instrument borbe protiv siromaštva svoju ulogu, kao instrument borbe protiv siromaštva, u zemljama Europske unije ispunjava djelomično. Odnosno u nekim zemljama minimalni dohodak ispunjava svoju ulogu i omogućuje svojim građanima pristojni životni standard, u drugima manje, gdje minimalni dohodak ostvaruju samo najsiromašniji građani i gdje iznos dohotka nije dovoljan za zadovoljenje osnovnih životnih potreba, dok u nekim zemljama to pravo uopće ne postoji.This paper presents the role of minimum income in the fight against poverty in European Union countries. However, it shows different states of gaining rights when it comes to the minimum income, amounts to which an individual or a family has the right as well as some different rights and other conditions related to minimum income. All mentioned above is shown only for some countries, namely those our countries that play more important role in the creation of the European Union social policy. In addition to that, this paper shows the role of European Union itself in the fight against poverty and its impact on the national policies from which it seeks to provide a decent standard for all citizens. We came to a conclusion that there are large differences in national when it comes to exercising the right to minimum remuneration. This means that the conditions for achieving the minimum income and the general amounts that an individual or a family can realize are greatly different. Further on, that arises the fact that minimum income as an instrument for fighting against poverty in the European Union is partially fulfilled. There are countries where the minimum income fulfills its role and allows its citizens a decent living standard, in other countries minimum income is realized only by the poorest citizens and the amount of income is insufficient to meet basic living needs, while in some countries this right does not exist at all