The Sustainability of the European Social Model and Social Rights in Europe

EU governance takes many forms. In the social domain, in matter of social protection and social services, but also of labour law, some instruments are important: the Open method of coordination, social dialogue, and obviously EU law. The macroeconomic and fiscal coordination has also acquired, especially since the beginnings of the financial, economic and now crisis that started from 2007-2008, an overarching role. EU law appears under many guises in this edited book. It is analysed as a Janus bifrons promoting individual rights and threatening collective rights. Case studies are performed in the area of labour law (the Working time Directive) and of social services of general interest. A broad overview is given about the governance of the sustainability of the social model, and about the role of collective agreements at the EU level between social partners. In the area of pensions the role of hard law is confronted with the impact of the OMCs