Social Europe. Can the EU again improve people’s life prospects?

In this article the author briefly reviews the main EU policies developed over 2009-2014 in the field of employment and social affairs. He puts these in the context of the macroeconomic policy response during the same period and concludes by reflecting on systemic reforms which Europe needs to strengthen its economic recovery and to at last make progress towards the employment and social inclusion targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

This article forms part of an issue of Challenge Europe called 'Challenges and new beginnings: Priorities for the EU’s new leadership' as the launch of a new EU institutional cycle 2014-2019 began.