European Flexicurity Policies: A Critical Assessment

This paper examines whether the principal ideas of flexicurity - the combination of labour market flexibility and security for employees - can potentially be regarded as the lowest common denominator of the controversial European Social Model as the European Commission intends to implement flexicurity policies in all Member States. The main theme of the analysis is an evaluation of whether and under what conditions the concept of flexicurity can be regarded as beneficial in attempts to solve labour market problems in the European Union. The critical examination casts doubt on too strong an emphasis on this new paradigm as it may lead to potentially counterproductive results in at least some Member States.