The Europeanisation of social protection

Description

This book challenges the common view that social protection is exclusively a national concern with EU social policy fragmented and merely symbolic. Through eleven country studies, the book reveals that EU-level developments increasingly interact with social protection in all countries - a remarkable transformation from ten years ago. Using the same thematic framework, the book systematically compares how Europeanisation of social protection differs across countries chosen to reflect increasing EU diversity. For each country, specialists in social protection evaluate the form and extent of Europeanisation, comparing national strategies with the European social model. They examine recent reforms and responses to EU initiatives, including the Lisbon strategy and the open method of coordination, the extension of the internal market to services, the Economic and Monetary Union and EU enlargement. Differences in Europeanisation reflect not only different political legacies but also different adjustment pressures in terms of national welfare regime and degree of competitiveness. "Europeanisation of social protection" brings together both new evidence and new perspectives, making it essential reading for everyone interested in the changing patterns of social policy in Europe.

Jon Kvist is Senior Researcher at the Danish National Institute of Social Research, Copenhagen, Denmark.Juho Saari is Professor of Sociology, University of Kuopio, Finland

"The relationship between the EU and national welfare states has become increasingly controversial. However, we lack systematic knowledge about the specific influences that the integration process is exerting on domestic social policies - and vice versa. This excellent book makes a step in this direction. By analysing the experience of eleven Member States, the book casts new light on the growing 'Europeanization' of social protection and provides precious insights for both academic and political debates." Professor Maurizio Ferrera, University of Milan"Focusing on the interaction between supranational EU policy initiatives and national social policies, this carefully edited book fills an important gap in the comparative literature on European welfare states. This volume produced by prestigious welfare state researchers will become required reading for any student of social policies in the enlarged European Union." Professor Jens Alber, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin fur Sozialforschung (Social Science Center Berlin)