Social Challenges of Economic and Monetary Union

We are now only few months away from the third stage of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). This collection of papers has been made in order to anticipate to the fundamental changes that will be brought about by this step in the making of the European Union. This book aims to widen the debate on the consequences, indeed important, of the EMU on the European social model and in particular on the field of social protection. The issues tackled in the book range from the budgetary constraints imposed by the Maastricht Treaty and the Stability Pact to the influence of the EMU on the financing of social security and industrial relations. The uneasy debate about the fiscal policy of the European Member States is also analysed in this volume. The discussion is also replaced in a historical perspective showing the progresses and the backslashes in the contents as well as in conceptualisation of the social dimension. This work is not limited to a mere description of the situation. It puts forward a number of concrete propositions. The contribution of the three ministers helps reminding the political dimension of this theme. Belgian and foreign personalities from a wide range of fields have contributed to the making of this selection (members of the academic world, politicians and decision-makers, high level public servants, and social observers). Because of the diversity of the contributions, this book should be of great interest to a large public. This collection represents an interesting element of reflection to be considered in the future debate on social consequences of the economic and monetary integration.