Social Policy: Evolution, Impact and Current Challenges

This chapter deliberates on the need for a common social policy within the European Union and evaluates the impact on the development of such a policy by all treaties since the Treaty of Rome. It provides insights into the European Social Charter, the Social Protocol, the European Employment Strategy, the Lisbon Strategy, the European Social Agenda, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the Europe 2020 Strategy, and assesses their influence on the implementation of Social Policy in the European Union. The chapter concludes with a comprehensive evaluation of the European Union’s Social Policy, touching on key issues like social security expenditure, unemployment rates, exposure to poverty risks and the demographic challenge facing the European Union.