'Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb'
Abstract
The article aims at broadly delineating the division of labour in social policy
between the EU and the member states; in other words, at showing to what extent
the social policy of the member states has been Europeanised. Our understanding
of Europeanisation is broad. Europeanisation can be a rather subtle
and invisible process rather than an abrupt modification of the national institutional
architecture. The Union’s legal and juridical competences in the social
area have been restricted to issues related to the single market, such as labour
law, the free movement of workers, health and safety at the working place, and
non-discrimination. In addition, the social OMC is a case of subtle and indirect
Europeanisation influencing above all values, norms and ways of thinking
about social policy. Moreover, national social systems are also influenced by
other EU processes, such as the European macro-economic policy, the single
market, the common currency, and the European Employment Strategy
