Subnational governments have become more involved in the ‘regulation of unemployment’ (the design, implementation and financing of unemployment-related benefits and activation), partly because they are thought to be better placed to activate the unemployed than federal governments. However,...

The debate on automatic stabilizers for the Euro area is definitely on the agenda. Analytically, the case for a stabilisation capacity is compelling; politically it is an uphill battle. We therefore need a careful exploration of different scenarios and a thorough understanding of how they fit...

We need a clear-cut concept with regard to the social dimension of the EU: not a European Welfare State, but a European Social Union. Why is it necessary? First, monetary integration requires supranational stabilization instruments: stabilization implies risk-sharing and a ‘responsibility...

The Welfare State After the Great Recession.The economic crisis has given rise to significant challenges to the welfare state. Given that welfare expenses account for a large proportion of all state spending in the member countries of the European Union, reducing government spending means...