The economic makeup of the European Union and the difficult balance between economic freedoms and social rights

<p>The author examines some basic contents of what has come to be known as the European Economic Constitution and the conflict raised between economic freedoms and social rights within the European Union. He also warns that in the latest trends in EU legislation and jurisprudence, the former seem to take excessive priority over the latter. This may jeopardise the consolidation of a genuine social Europe and the increasing indifference of citizens, who see how firm steps are being taken within the Economic and Monetary Union while social Europe is slowly moving forward, and often shows worrying signs of paralysis, or even some backward movement.</p><p><strong>Received</strong>: 16.06.10<br /><strong>Accepted</strong>: 29.06.10