Premium
Social Policy in a Federal Europe
Author(s) -
Spicker Paul
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
social policy and administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.972
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1467-9515
pISSN - 0144-5596
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9515.1996.tb00562.x
Subject(s) - welfare state , solidarity , social policy , convergence (economics) , political science , european union , federal state , position (finance) , social welfare , government (linguistics) , welfare , economic system , public administration , economics , economic growth , economic policy , law , linguistics , philosophy , finance , politics
The European Union has a federal structure, in which each citizen is subject to two governments. The position of social policy within the federation is contested, but the EU has gradually developed powers through the extension of its competence, direct intervention in social welfare issues and the push for “convergence”, or agreement on minimum standards. Consistent with its federal nature, the European model of the welfare state is based on convergence, integration of the excluded and social protection through the gradual extension of solidarity. The precise role that the federal government will take on within this is unclear, but it is already having a major impact on social welfare and its influence is likely to increase.