Social policy in the European Union: state of play 2017 Eighteenth annual report Edited by Bart Vanhercke, Sebastiano Sabato and Denis Bouget European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) European Social Observatory (OSE)
Quoting this publication: Vanhercke B., Sabato S. and Bouget D. (eds.) (2017) Social policy in the European Union: state of play 2017, Brussels, European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) and European Social Observatory (OSE), 237 p. Brussels, 2017 Publisher: ETUI aisbl, Brussels All rights reserved Print: ETUI Printshop, Brussels D/2017/10.574/27 ISBN: 978-2-87452-467-7 (print version) ISBN: 978-2-87452-468-4 (electronic version) Report commissioned from the European Social Observatory, asbl by the European Trade Union Institute and the European Trade Union Confederation. The ETUI receives financial support from the European Union. The European Union is not responsible for any use made of the information contained in this publication.
Contents Preface...9 Part I High-level politics: between integration, disintegration and differentiated integration Mario Telò Chapter 1 The present and future of the European Union, between the urgent need for democracy and differentiated integration...15 Introduction...15 1. The paradox of Europe: the underestimation of 60 years of achievements and the method which made them possible...16 2. The global context of the crisis and the scale of the challenges facing Europe...17 3. Results of and problems linked to the anti-crisis policy...19 4. The only path to greater efficiency and legitimacy: a multi-speed Europe and involvement of the unions...25 Conclusions: a new social movement for a differentiated and social Europe, a lever for regulated globalisation...29 Daniel Clegg Chapter 2 Brexit, the UK labour market and the lessons for Social Europe...33 Introduction...33 1. From the best of both worlds to hard Brexit...34 2. The Brexit vote, the Left Behind and the UK labour market...37 3. Reforming the British and European Social Models after Brexit?...42 Conclusions...45 Dalila Ghailani Chapter 3 Europe and the migration crisis: migrants rights sacrificed on the altar of security?...51 Introduction...51 1. The absence of legal channels for entry into Europe...52 2. Relocation and the hotspots : an unsuitable response by the EU...56 3.The EU-Turkey agreement: outsourcing to dispense with the right to asylum?...59 4. Frontex s new mandate: control the external borders to the detriment of migrants rights...62 5. Towards a less protective, less welcoming European asylum system?...64 Conclusion...66 Social policy in the European Union: state of play 2017 5
Sebastiano Sabato and Bart Vanhercke Chapter 4 Towards a European Pillar of Social Rights: from a preliminary outline to a Commission Recommendation...73 Introduction...73 1. A preliminary outline of a European Pillar of Social Rights: rebalancing the EU s economic and social dimensions?...74 2. Key stakeholder and institutional views on the preliminary outline of the Social Pillar...76 3. From the public consultation to a Commission Recommendation...84 Conclusion: the Social Pillar as a new start for (social) Europe?...93 Part II Day-to-day policymaking in the European Union Amandine Crespy and Vivien A. Schmidt Chapter 5 The EU s economic governance in 2016: beyond austerity?...99 Introduction...99 1. From austerity to investment? In search of progressive structural reforms... 100 2. Upward convergence. Debates and challenges... 104 3. Hybrid governance, power and democracy... 107 Conclusion and outlook... 110 Christophe Degryse Chapter 6 The relaunch of European social dialogue: what has been achieved up to now?... 115 Introduction... 115 1. Cross-industry social dialogue: a relaunch in declarations... 116 2. Sectoral social dialogue: its own dynamics... 119 3. Digitalisation of the economy: a new challenge for European sectoral social dialogue... 123 Conclusion... 129 Rita Baeten Chapter 7 Healthcare regulation: an obstacle to cross-border trade in services? On the muffled application of the EU Single Market Strategy and CETA... 133 Introduction... 133 1. Background: EU internal market law applied to the national regulation of healthcare providers... 136 2. A proportionality test before adoption of new regulation of (health) professions... 138 3. Voluntary standards for health services... 142 4. Regulation of healthcare providers subject to CETA... 145 Discussion and conclusions... 149 6 Social policy in the European Union: state of play 2017
Denis Bouget, Chiara Saraceno and Slavina Spasova Chapter 8 Towards new work-life balance policies for those caring for dependent relatives?... 155 Introduction... 155 1. Tensions and challenges in the balance between long-term caring demands and available family care resources... 157 2. Diversity of long-term care policies and the work-life balance of family carers... 160 3. Tensions between long-term care policy trends and caregivers work-life balance: shifting responsibilities... 170 4. A new EU approach to work-life balance and long-term care policies?... 172 Conclusions... 175 Ramón Peña-Casas Chapter 9 An ageing active population in Europe: challenges, policies and practices... 181 Introduction... 181 1. What is the situation of active older people in the EU Member States?... 182 2. What initiatives have been taken by the EU institutions?... 185 3. European Framework Agreement on Active Ageing and an Inter-Generational Approach... 187 4. Actions taken by Member States... 190 Conclusions... 193 Bart Vanhercke, Sebastiano Sabato and Denis Bouget Conclusions Social policy in the EU: high hopes but low yields... 201 Introduction... 201 1. The EU between disintegration, differentiated integration and further integration... 203 2. EU social policymaking in 2016... 205 3. Looking forward: moving to high hopes and high yields... 208 Cécile Barbier The European Union in 2016: key events... 215 List of abbreviations... 231 List of country codes... 233 List of contributors... 235 Social policy in the European Union: state of play 2017 7