scholarly journals European social model vs directive Bolkestein

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-77
Author(s):  
Srdjan Redzepagic
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
European Union ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Full Employment ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Social Model ◽  
Social Agenda ◽  
High Level

In this article is elaborated the actually question which is developed and discussed it the European Union is the European Social Model (ESM). It is a vision of society that combines sustainable economic growth with ever-improving living and working conditions. This implies full employment good quality jobs, equal opportunities, social protection for all, social inclusion, and involving citizens in the decisions that affect them. As the Euro-zone is struggling to move away from a dramatic slump in its economy and while the Lisbon Strategy and its potential for economic growth, strongly needs reactivation, the debates over the Europe have raised again the issue of a sustainable social agenda for the European Union. Recently, Europe's political leaders defined the ESM, specifying that it "is based on good economic performance, a high level of social protection and education and social dialogue". An important topic of the discussion nowadays is the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on services in the internal market so called "Bolkestein directive". The importance of this article is to give us the answer to the following question: would we have French goods available in French supermarkets all over Poland and no Polish services allowed in France? The EU would be unthinkable without the full implementation of the four freedoms. This is a good directive, going in the good direction.

Economic Efficiency versus Social Equality? The U.S. Liberal Model versus the European Social Model

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 613-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicente Navarro ◽  
John Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
European Union ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Social Model ◽  
Stability Pact ◽  
The Social ◽  
Model Versus ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Social Expenditures

This article begins by challenging the widely held view in neoliberal discourse that there is a necessary trade-off between higher efficiency and lower reduction of inequalities: the article empirically shows that the liberal, U.S. model has been less efficient economically (slower economic growth, higher unemployment) than the social model in existence in the European Union and in the majority of its member states. Based on the data presented, the authors criticize the adoption of features of the liberal model (such as deregulation of their labor markets, reduction of public social expenditures) by some European governments. The second section analyzes the causes for the slowdown of economic growth and the increase of unemployment in the European Union—that is, the application of monetarist and neoliberal policies in the institutional frame of the European Union, including the Stability Pact, the objectives and modus operandi of the European Central Bank, and the very limited resources available to the European Commission for stimulating and distributive functions. The third section details the reasons for these developments, including (besides historical considerations) the enormous influence of financial capital in the E.U. institutions and the very limited democracy. Proposals for change are included.

scholarly journals European social protection standards

2021 ◽  
pp. 108-115
Author(s):  
Denis Cotofan ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Protection ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Legal Rules ◽  
European Social Model ◽  
Protection Systems ◽  
The Individual ◽  
High Level ◽  
Social Protection Systems

The article addresses European social protection standards from the perspective of the existence of several models of national social protection systems throughout the European Union and the need to develop general principles for all European countries in order to ensure the well-being of citizens. Thus, on the basis of the development of those standards, the balance between the interests of society in general and the rights of the individual were respected, taking into account economic development and levels of social protection. As a result, the European social model has been created which provides a high level of social protection and covers activities vital to social cohesion, being structured by a series of legal rules.

Kryzys w Unii Europejskiej a tożsamość europejska

2016 ◽  
pp. 110-136
Author(s):  
Zbigniew B. Rudnicki
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Social Model ◽  
European Identity ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Social Model ◽  
Gradual Development ◽  
Internal Relations ◽  
International Identity

The aim of this article is to show what impact the crisis in the European Union, along with the crisis in the euro zone at the forefront, had on European identity, interwoven with the identity of the European Union to such an extent that these terms are often handled as equivalent. Developments and crises situations which exert an influence on European identity were presented with respect to areas of particular importance that affect the way the European Union is identified within the community and abroad. Following issues were discussed: implications of the crisis for the European Union’s international identity, for the European social model (welfare state), for transnational identity (in internal relations) and for unity and solidarity in the European Union. In the conclusion, it is stated that the economic, political and social crises had undermined the gradual development of European / European Union identity among citizens and had an impact on its image in international relations.

The Slow Road to the Social Investment Perspective in the European Union

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Dinan
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Social Investment ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Member States ◽  
The Social

The European Union has no unilateral legislative capacity in the area of social policy. However, the European Commission does play the role of guide by providing a discursive framework and targets for its 28 Member States to meet. Since the late 1990’s, the EU’s ideas on social policy have moved away from the traditional social protection model towards promoting social inclusion, labour activation and investing in children. These new policies represent the social investment perspective, which advocates preparing the population for a knowledge-based economy to increase economic growth and job creation and to break the intergenerational transmission of poverty. The EU began the gradual incorporation of the social investment perspective to its social dimension with the adoption of ten-year strategies. Since 2000, it has continued to set goals and benchmarks as well as offer a forum for Member States to coordinate their social initiatives. Drawing on a series of interviews conducted during a research experience in Brussels as well as official documents, this paper is a descriptive analysis of the recent modifications to the EU’s social dimension. It focuses on the changes created by the Europe 2020 Strategy and the Social Investment Package. By tracing the genesis and evolution of these initiatives, the author identifies four obstacles to social investment in the European Union's social dimension.   Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v10i1.263

Politicile sociale în perioada post-criză financiară: România încotro? Contribuția Semestrului European în dirijarea măsurilor de politică socială în domeniile ocupării și incluziunii sociale

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ionuț-Marian ANGHEL
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
European Union ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Social Policies ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Macroeconomic Imbalances ◽  
Europe 2020 ◽  
Europe 2020 Strategy ◽  
Policy Objectives

After implementing one of the toughest austerity programs in the European Union during the financial crisis, Romania returned to continuous economic growth for eight years (2012−2019), not before concluding between 2011−2013 two preventive agreements with Troika to reduce its macroeconomic imbalances. This continuous economic growth was also reflected in the achievement of the national targets under the Europe 2020 Strategy. In order to better coordinate economic and budgetary policies, the European Union has launched the European Semester. Although the main objective of the latter was to coordinate Member States' efforts to implement fiscal budgetary policies aimed at preventing macroeconomic imbalances and controlling public finances, after 2015, the European Semester began to incorporate social policy objectives, especially in the area of employment and social inclusion policies. By using the index of commodification/ decommodification of social policies developed by Paul Copeland, I illustrate, by analyzing the National Reform Programs and Country Specific Reports, that half of the policies taken in the two areas were towards partial commodification or commodification, and other significant measures towards commodification and decommodification, e.g. types of policies addressed to vulnerable groups trying to (re)integrate them into the labor market, even if in conditions that do not necessarily lead to social inclusion. Keywords: social policies; European Semester; Europe 2020; de/comodification; neoliberalism.

Balance-Sheet of European Social Policy

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 591-598
Author(s):  
José Mª Gil Robles
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Social Market Economy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Social Policy ◽  
Subsidiarity Principle ◽  
Social Market

Specific competence of the European Union in the field of social security and social protection has been quite limited, as the Member States consider these two items as core subjects of national policies and appeal earnestly to subsidiarity principle to avoid European regulation. Influence of the E.U. has nevertheless been gradually and considerably increasing through the implementation of the Community rules on the internal market and competition. European social model is the so called “social market economy”, which means, in short, an economy ruled by a market whose transparency and fairness are guaranteed and controlled by the public powers. There is the will, at European level, to be able to achieve high economic and productivity growth, necessary to fuel recovery from crisis damages, while at the same time minimising so-called social failures, such as unemployment, poverty and social exclusion. The European Union addresses these areas as a matter of common concern and has a role in facilitating the exchange of information, data, best practices and research. The balance of European policies is in overall terms rather positive from the social point of view.

scholarly journals European social model - instrument of cohesion between the states of the European Union

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Sacara ◽  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Insurance ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Social Models ◽  
European Social Model ◽  
The Social ◽  
State Governance

The European Union is currently a real catalyst for change regarding the state governance, policy-making and the imposition of social models in the European space. The member States of the European Community have their own ways of developing social policies, which regulate social assistance, social insurance, the organization and functioning of the social services system, etc., yet the European institutions coordinate the adopted regulations and establish common principles, values, and objectives. Nowadays, more and more often, politicians, decision makers, doctrinaire people question the concept of “European social model” and prerogatives for its development. In this context, we set out to analyze the concept and features of the European social model and to identify existing social models at EU level.

scholarly journals Analysis of social models in Central and Eastern Europe - A focus on poverty and social exclusion

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-92
Author(s):  
Ruxandra Argatu
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Social Progress ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Social Model ◽  
The Social ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
High Level

Abstract In the present context, defined by a variety of social changes, social advancement is a key point that needs to be sheltered and ensured both in Romania as well as at the level of the European Union, in order to have a coherent European space, to reach and maintain a high level of social and economic welfare. The improvement of the social domain can be triggered by using the principles of the European Social Model, which incorporates values and institutions specially established to protect the integrity of people who are socially disadvantaged. Thus, the paper aims, on one hand, to analyze literature review aspects of the European Social Model as being a social development one and to identify the criteria according to which progress is established in relationship with this model. On the other hand, another goal of the paper is to make a comparative analysis between Romania's performance in the context of Central and Eastern European countries' situation. The purpose of the analysis is to diagnose the progress recorded and the social area in which it took place, as well as the differences between countries. The focus of the analysis will be placed on poverty and social exclusion, as dimensions of the European Social Model. The methodology that will help in undertaking the research comprises two elements: literature review and document analysis. The literature review component involves pinpointing information obtained from scientific articles about the European Social Model and aspects associated with it, available in online databases. The second part of the methodology refers to document analysis, which supposes the assessment of reports issued by organizations that provide such statistical data (Eurostat, World Bank, Social Progress Imperative).

Explaining Labor Weakness in Post-Communist Europe: Historical Legacies and Comparative Perspective

2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 394-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Crowley
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Labor Relations ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Political Actor ◽  
European Model ◽  
European Social Model ◽  
Communist Countries

With expansion of the European Union (EU), the transformation of industrial relations in Eastern Europe becomes increasingly important. Studies on labor relations in post-communist countries have flourished in recent years, yet these studies have not reached a consensus on what they seek to explain. Is labor in post-communist societies weak or (in some countries) strong? And strong or weak compared to what? To the extent labor is weak, what would explain this weakness? This study demonstrates that labor is indeed a weak social and political actor in post-communist societies, especially when compared to labor in Western Europe. The article examines a number of hypotheses that have been proposed to explain labor’s weakness, concluding that the institutional and ideological legacies of the communist period best explain this overall weakness. Because labor in post-communist societies more resembles American-style flexibility than the European “social model,” the ability to extend the European model to new EU entrants is questioned.

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