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Paradigms in EU social policy: a critical account of Europe 2020

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  • Mary Daly

    (Queen’s University Belfast, UK)

Abstract

This article offers a critical account of the ‘social’ in the Europe 2020 strategy, focusing on the new poverty target and the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion. The article reaches three main conclusions. First, while poverty is given a prominent place in the strategy and the recourse to targets is intended to harden up Member State and EU coordination in the field, the poverty target is loose and risks being rendered ineffective as an EU-wide target. Secondly, the social goals and philosophy of Europe 2020 are under-elaborated. While it is important that the poverty-related measures are treated on a similar basis to the other elements of Europe 2020, it is not made clear how growth will bring about the planned reduction in poverty. ‘Inclusive growth’ has little meaning in itself. This leads to the third conclusion which is that Europe 2020 lacks a coherent model of social development. Philosophically, it draws mainly from social investment and liberal approaches, neither of which has a strong orientation to addressing poverty.

Suggested Citation

  • Mary Daly, 2012. "Paradigms in EU social policy: a critical account of Europe 2020," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 18(3), pages 273-284, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:18:y:2012:i:3:p:273-284
    DOI: 10.1177/1024258912448598
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maria Jepsen & Amparo Serrano Pascual, 2005. "The European social model: An exercise in deconstruction," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/166129, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    2. Marloes Graaf-zijl & Brian Nolan, 2011. "GINI DP 5: Household Joblessness and its Impacts on Poverty and Deprivation in Europe," GINI Discussion Papers 5, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    3. Michael W. Bauer, 2002. "The Commission and the Poverty Programmes," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(3), pages 381-400, September.
    4. Bea Cantillon, 2011. "The Paradox of the Social Investment State. Growth, Employment and Poverty in the Lisbon Era," Working Papers 1103, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kenneth A Armstrong, 2012. "EU social policy and the governance architecture of Europe 2020," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 18(3), pages 285-300, August.

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