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Social policy

Dockers demonstrating in Brussels (Photo: EUobserver.com)

General term relating to social and employment chapters (employment, labour law, working conditions, social and occupational security).

The Community has the objective of promoting employment, improving working conditions and social protection, supporting social dialogue and combating exclusion. The EU may support and complement member states’ activities.

The idea is to establish common minimum social standards in order to avoid social dumping. The counter argument is that social standards that are too high may undermine employment in the poorer EU countries.

Decisions in these areas are taken by unanimity or by qualified majority voting. For collective bargaining by workers and employers at national level, the EU can only encourage co-operation and co-ordinate actions of the Member States. The co-ordination of social exclusion and old-age pensions policies may be subject to the open co-ordination method.

The future

Freedom of association, strikes and lock-outs are not subject to any Community powers ('competences'), but are protected in the Social Charter which is part of the EU Constitution. The EU Court has established that strikes cannot hinder the free movement of goods across borders.

The Convention on the Future of Europe proposed that a broader range of social policy matters are or could be decided by qualified majority voting, except for social security and social protection. The EU Constitution proposes that part of social policy and health become shared competences - EU law would therefore suppress member states' existing legislation and right to legislate in this area (Art. I-13).

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