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The Social Dimension of the European Union: A Means to lock out Social Competition?

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  • Javier Bilbao-Ubillos

    (University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU))

Abstract

In the process of European integration, the social dimension has to date been subordinated to presumed economic requirements. There have been no specific commitments to preserve the European Social Model (ESM), which has been gradually diluted as a result of successive EU enlargements, the impact of ageing, job insecurity and socio-cultural changes on social protection systems and the pressure exerted by globalisation in a context of ever harsher market competition. Moreover, the decisions adopted by the EU in addressing the 2008 economic crisis have led Community institutions gradually to impose reforms of pension systems and labour markets, particularly in southern countries, which threaten to reduce the level of protection provided for citizens. This paper argues that the EU aquis is not sufficient to prevent social competition and warns of the risks arising from the current dynamic in terms of maintaining social cohesion, equal opportunities and fairness as basic features of European identity. Some data that illustrate the varying degrees of intensity and effort in social welfare provisions by Member States and the gradual divergence in social protection benefits are provided (using dispersion measurements). In an effort to be proactive, a number of proposals are given with a view to reversing this trend and consolidating the social content of the European project.

Suggested Citation

  • Javier Bilbao-Ubillos, 2023. "The Social Dimension of the European Union: A Means to lock out Social Competition?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 267-281, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:165:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-022-03012-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-022-03012-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amandine Crespy & Georg Menz, 2015. "Commission Entrepreneurship and the Debasing of Social Europe Before and After the Eurocrisis," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(4), pages 753-768, July.
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    3. Javier Bilbao-Ubillos, 2021. "The Crisis of the European Social Model in the Adverse Environment of Globalization," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 53(3), pages 478-500, September.
    4. Amandine Crespy & Georg Menz, 2015. "Commission Entrepreneurship and the Debasing of Social Europe Before and After the Eurocrisis," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/205514, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    5. Janine LESCHKE & Maria JEPSEN, 2012. "Introduction: Crisis, policy responses and widening inequalities in the EU," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 151(4), pages 289-312, December.
    6. Paul Copeland & Mary Daly, 2018. "The European Semester and EU Social Policy," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(5), pages 1001-1018, July.
    7. Paul DE BEER, 2012. "Earnings and income inequality in the EU during the crisis," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 151(4), pages 313-331, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Liberati, P., 2024. "Are European health models still different?," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2441, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.

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