European Social Policy Challenges

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[...] Indeed, social protection remains the necessary complement to the implementation of the single market. In addition, the economic and financial crisis has highlighted its ability to act as a shock absorber while ensuring better efficiency than private systems (in terms of equity as well as management costs). From all points of view, the Social Europe is therefore a necessity. Throughout our analysis, we have tried to answer the following problem: 'Should we put an end to the Social Europe?' During the first part, we studied the difficulties it currently faces. [...]

[...] Among the possible measures, we could mention the need to stop the current spiral of social and fiscal dumping by harmonizing European tax systems and establishing minimum social rights at EU level. These minimum rights should primarily concern areas such as universal health coverage, retirement and dependency of the elderly. Investment in continuing education also seems essential to us in order to ensure a sustainable integration of workers into the labour market in an economic context dominated by the rapid evolution of technologies and manufacturing processes. Finally, the last aspect to be taken into account is that of mobility, which can be treated from two angles. [...]

[...] Does this justify abandoning the European social policy? Or should we rather make it progress? To try to answer this problem, we will study in the first part the arguments that can make us think that the European social policy is currently in a deadlock. Then, we will see in the second part that the European social project should not be abandoned in favor of the sole economic aspect but that it needs to be deeply rethought. The current European social policy is in a deadlock The European social policy is currently facing many challenges generated by economic and social changes. [...]

[...] Social Europe is today at a standstill. European leaders have chosen to prioritize the economic aspect at the expense of social progress. The austerity policies and structural reforms demanded by Brussels have led the EU to follow the path of a liberal Europe and have contributed to widening the disparities between member states without allowing the euro zone to emerge from the economic crisis. As a result, we believe that ending social Europe would be detrimental to the European project. [...]

[...] According to them, Europe should impose structural reforms on member states to reduce social spending. This would involve, in particular, privatizing pensions, limiting redistributions and deregulating the labor market.4. According to neoliberal theses, social protection is ineffective because it is a source of irresponsibility and assisted mentalities, which leads to generating negative effects on production and employment.5. For example, unemployment benefits would, according to them, discourage the resumption of employment and the social system would favor the disintegration of family solidarity networks. [...]