Free movement vs. social solidarity : does EU citizenship undermine European welfare states?

This contribution was delivered on the occasion of the EUI State of the Union in Florence on 4 May 2017From their inception, the rules for free movement in the EU, which not only allow for unrestricted migration but also for equal access to national welfare states have created tensions between host and home countries. While home countries focus on the benefits free movement brings for labour markets, host countries deplore the costs inflicted on national welfare regimes. These tensions have heightened since the financial crisis has ushered in a new wave of austerity, pushing both for more migration and less welfare. The tensions highlight a more principle incompatibility between social citizenship which is built on solidarity within national borders, and European citizenship which is requires open borders, this way undermining the foundations of solidarity. The panel explores whether and how European citizenship can be upheld in these times of crisis without undermining European welfare states, and whether there are solutions to the mutual incompatibilities of European and social citizenship. It also purports to understand the role of youth mobility through programs such as Erasmus in this context