The Double Voluntarism in EU Social Dialogue and Employment Policy

European Integration online Papers (EIoP), Vol. 13, Special Issue No. 1, Article 9, 2009

19 Pages Posted: 3 Mar 2010

See all articles by Armin Schäfer

Armin Schäfer

Max Planck Society for the Advancement of the Sciences - Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies

Simone Leiber

WSI in der Hans Boeckler Stiftung

Date Written: November 18, 2009

Abstract

In this article, we analyse the development of new modes of governance in EU employment and social policy over the past two decades. In this field, a number of innovations can be observed. First, with the Maastricht Treaty, the right to draw up legislation was given to European social partners. Second, with the European Employment Strategy and the Open Method of Coordination, new instruments of coordinating national policies were introduced to EU policy-making. Recently, the latter instrument was incorporated into the social dialogue. Hence, we contend that a double voluntarism takes places that not only delegates responsibility for social policy to the social partners but also relies on soft rather than on hard law.

Keywords: corporatism, governance, social dialogue, open coordination, employment policy, political science

Suggested Citation

Schäfer, Armin and Leiber, Simone, The Double Voluntarism in EU Social Dialogue and Employment Policy (November 18, 2009). European Integration online Papers (EIoP), Vol. 13, Special Issue No. 1, Article 9, 2009 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1562470

Armin Schäfer (Contact Author)

Max Planck Society for the Advancement of the Sciences - Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies ( email )

Paulstr. 3
50676 Koln
Germany

Simone Leiber

WSI in der Hans Boeckler Stiftung ( email )

40476 Dusseldorf
Germany

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