Monday, April 28, 2008
[IWS] ETUI-REHS: EU ENLARGEMENT & SOCIAL STANDARDS: EXPLORING THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL MODEL? [April 2008]
IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
European Trade Union Institute for Research, Education and Health and Safety (ETUI-REHS)
WP 2008.01
EU enlargement and social standards: exporting the European Social Model? [April 2008]
Maarten Keune
http://www.etui-rehs.org/research/content/download/3940/23103/file/WP%202008.01%20Keune%20EU%20enlargement.pdf
[full-text, 24 pages]
Abstract:
ETUI-REHS Working Paper 1/2008 now available: EU Enlargement and social standards: exporting the European Social Model - Maarten Keune
In this paper the extent to which the EU is actively disseminating a social model is considered, through the lens of EU enlargement and accession. To what extent or in what ways has enlargement served as a vehicle for the spreading of EU social standards? The paper examines the social effects of the transposition and implementation of the acquis communautaire, taking account of the (hard and soft) social elements of the acquis as well as some of its economic elements. To this effect, it considers:
· the concept of the European social model and how it finds its expression in EU regulations and practices;
· the weight given to social considerations in the accession procedure;
· the impact of the social acquis on labour markets and welfare state regulations and policies in the EU-10;
· the social implications of some of the economic elements of the acquis, in particular those relating to the Single Market and European Monetary Union.
The paper shows firstly that European integration remains dominated by the economic integration and that the development of European social regulations has been piecemeal. This has from the outset limited the weight of social issues in the accession process. Secondly, the domestic impact of EU-level social regulations and processes has been limited by implementation failures and domestic interpretations. What is more, while transposition of the social acquis has in some cases led to a raising of standards, in others standards have declined or remained unaffected because of 'pro forma' transpositions. In addition, although domestic actors adopted much of the EU discourse pertaining to the soft acquis, they have often not translated this into domestic policy changes. Finally, it is argued that the requirements related to the Internal Market and to EMU, have led, or are likely to lead in the near future, to negative social effects in the new members.
This analysis then suggests that the requirements stemming from EU membership, rather than improving social standards in the new member states, are likely to exert downward pressure on these standards. Indeed, in the context of enlargement the EU emerges as a weak transnational actor in the social field.
Contents
1. Introduction 5
2. The European Social Model 5
3. The weight of social issues in the accession process 7
4. The impact of the social acquis 9
5. The social impact of the economic acquis 15
6. Conclusions 17
References 19
Discussion and Working Papers 23
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
European Trade Union Institute for Research, Education and Health and Safety (ETUI-REHS)
WP 2008.01
EU enlargement and social standards: exporting the European Social Model? [April 2008]
Maarten Keune
http://www.etui-rehs.org/research/content/download/3940/23103/file/WP%202008.01%20Keune%20EU%20enlargement.pdf
[full-text, 24 pages]
Abstract:
ETUI-REHS Working Paper 1/2008 now available: EU Enlargement and social standards: exporting the European Social Model - Maarten Keune
In this paper the extent to which the EU is actively disseminating a social model is considered, through the lens of EU enlargement and accession. To what extent or in what ways has enlargement served as a vehicle for the spreading of EU social standards? The paper examines the social effects of the transposition and implementation of the acquis communautaire, taking account of the (hard and soft) social elements of the acquis as well as some of its economic elements. To this effect, it considers:
· the concept of the European social model and how it finds its expression in EU regulations and practices;
· the weight given to social considerations in the accession procedure;
· the impact of the social acquis on labour markets and welfare state regulations and policies in the EU-10;
· the social implications of some of the economic elements of the acquis, in particular those relating to the Single Market and European Monetary Union.
The paper shows firstly that European integration remains dominated by the economic integration and that the development of European social regulations has been piecemeal. This has from the outset limited the weight of social issues in the accession process. Secondly, the domestic impact of EU-level social regulations and processes has been limited by implementation failures and domestic interpretations. What is more, while transposition of the social acquis has in some cases led to a raising of standards, in others standards have declined or remained unaffected because of 'pro forma' transpositions. In addition, although domestic actors adopted much of the EU discourse pertaining to the soft acquis, they have often not translated this into domestic policy changes. Finally, it is argued that the requirements related to the Internal Market and to EMU, have led, or are likely to lead in the near future, to negative social effects in the new members.
This analysis then suggests that the requirements stemming from EU membership, rather than improving social standards in the new member states, are likely to exert downward pressure on these standards. Indeed, in the context of enlargement the EU emerges as a weak transnational actor in the social field.
Contents
1. Introduction 5
2. The European Social Model 5
3. The weight of social issues in the accession process 7
4. The impact of the social acquis 9
5. The social impact of the economic acquis 15
6. Conclusions 17
References 19
Discussion and Working Papers 23
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
# posted by SBasefsky : 8:50 AM
