Sub-theme 2: European social integration - EU-level regulation and responses to the crisis

Thursday, 26 November 2009 

This sub-theme will identify and discuss key-elements in recent European social integration. This includes work-related directives, the social partners' autonomous agreements, the European Employment Strategy and other outcomes of the European social dialogue. An important question in this regard is whether the social dialogue has been deepening or stalling. Recent years' rulings from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) suggest that the ECJ is a key-driver of European integration. However, how will this affect the balance between social and market integration? Furthermore, under the sub-theme it will be discussed how the European social partners and the EU-institutions have responded to the financial crisis, especially with regard to increasing levels of unemployment. Finally, theoretical and methodological challenges in studying European social integration will be addressed.

• Professor Berndt Keller, Department of Politics and Management, University of Konstanz
• Head of Legal Service Lars Dahl Gulmann, the Danish Financial Services Union
• Director of International Affairs, Jørgen Rønnest, Conf. of Danish Employers (DA) 
• Associate Professor Søren Kaj Andersen, FAOS, University of Copenhagen
• Assistant Professor Trine P. Larsen, FAOS, University of Copenhagen