Eu Enlargement Versus Social Europe: The Uncertain Future of the European Social Model

`. . . this book represents an important contribution to the debates about EU social policy and its effects upon the member states. . . the arguments contained here are important and deserve to be read by all with an interest in the future of social policy in Europe.' -- Rob Sykes, Journal of Social Policy `Having read this text, the social, economic and political policymakers of the EU and its Member States, along with a wider academic and non-academic audience, should be in a better position to understand the social dimension of the European integration process and be better able to defend and promote the development of an effective European Social Model.' -- Stuart Philip, European Foreign Affairs Review `Daniel Vaughan-Whitehead discusses the future of Social Europe with 25 and more countries, on the basis of a very detailed and well documented assessment of future member states. He rightly insists on the risks entailed by widening social and regional inequalities and the obsession with economic reforms, sometimes to the detriment of social and cohesion policies. However, he also points out that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe would benefit from a valorisation of solidarity, and that the European Union has everything it needs to boost the solidarity required to address the great imbalances that have emerged over the last decade. This book thus properly addresses the important question of solidarity in a greatly enlarged Europe and, more fundamentally, that of the future of its social model, something virtually unique to Europe. By opening up the issue of Social Europe, this crucial `construction site', this book will contribute to the anticipation of eventual problems, and help us to overcome obstacles, both post-enlargement and in preparation for further accessions. The social dimension of the European construction is often little known and little understood in both current and future member states. However, it is the condition for making of the enlarged Europe not only a Europe of the economy and trade, but also a broad space combining competition, cooperation and solidarity, as well as an example of how to manage interdependencies and master globalisation.' -- From the foreword by Jacques Delors, President, Notre Europe