Annex 6 : What future for Social Europe ?

Résumé 0

‘Social Europe’ has various meanings. It may refer to the current intervention of Europeanauthorities in the fields of social protection and employment legislation, as a complement orsometimes as a substitute to national institutions interventions. The role of Europeanauthorities is clearly stated in European Treaties that assert that MS remain responsible fortheir social protection. At the same time, the logic of European construction, the risinginterdependence of economies, the interconnection of economic and monetary issues leadEuropean authorities to tend to increase their role in social issues and to pilot ‘themodernisation’ of national social protection systems.But social Europe may also refer to a political project, aiming at increasing the power ofEuropean authorities in social areas: there would be a social Europe like there is today aneconomic or monetary Europe. This social Europe would lead to unify gradually Europeansocial systems. This would imply a transfer of sovereignty which would be questionable sincethe role of social partners would be reduced and there would be no guarantee on the content ofthis social Europe, possibly moving towards a liberal or social-democrat system. SocialEurope may imply a step back in social democracy in Europe. At the same time the explicitrecognition that Social Europe exists and that it should be managed in an open and democraticway, could be a progress as compared to a situation of constrained convergence.Last, Social Europe may refer to a political project aiming at deepening the European SocialModel, by unifying social protection, redistribution and employment legislation towards thetop. This could take place through the gradual introduction of social norms in each country athigh and progressively similar levels. But there is no consensus in Europe on the content ofthis social Europe (...).