Rethinking EU Employment Policy; a legal and economic analysis

Abstract

Given the central role of the labour market in determining the welfare of citizens it is no wonder that governments aim for influencing the labour market process. The European Union has influenced and facilitated the labour market process by policies ranging from the promotion of the free movement of workers and the laying down of work standards to spending from EU funds and the setting up of systems for the coordination of national policies. It is these EU policy efforts, their interplay and the way they influence the labour market that are the subject of analysis in this study. The study subsequently discusses the economic objectives of employment policy, the development over time of the different EU instruments of employment policy, the focus and impact of these instruments, and a number of institutional elements that influence the manner in which the EU instruments are able to contribute to the achievement of the various economic objectives. The general conclusions that can be drawn from the analyses offered throughout this study provide a mixed picture. On the one hand, as far as the aims of the various instruments are concerned, they are largely in line with the policy prescriptions from the economic framework. On the other hand, overall, EU employment policy is a complex system with large overlaps and vague terminology, which impact is uncertain. With this in mind, the final chapter draws this study to a close by drawing conclusions and looking ahead, “rethinking” EU employment policy and coming up with proposals for improvement.