The Social Dimension of the European Union: En Route To Positively Joint Sovereignty?

Abstract

This article outlines possible scenarios of Social Europe. First, the status quo of (fragile) welfare state sovereignty and autonomy in the Member States is outlined. Then the major reason for the EU's difficult inheritance of a 'social dimension'is explored: namely, limping labour market integration — the only E U market that looks like a free trade zone - and its consequences for delicate European social integration. Without a common labour market chances for a bottom up social dimension are meager. 'Single' and multiple scenarios for a development of Europe's Social Dimension are then fleshed out. They stretch from 'one ge ometry' to 'variable geometries': European de velopment may be shared by all Member States, though there are different models of European development applying to them col lectively. These models are analysed in terms of the interaction between welfare state sover eignty and economic interdependence: 're sovereignization' and regime competition, 'joint sovereignty' of a positive and a trapping variety, and hegemony are the subscenarios discussed. The 'one Europe' about to develop since 1957 may also be shattered, though frag menting into many 'Europes': speaking about a Europe with different tracks and speeds still implies a shared European destination and common institutions, owed to the 'one ge ometry' legacy. But Europe may, and this is quite likely, also spin off into altogether differ ent policy trajectories, and lose its common destination - and also its unitary institutional structure at the European Union level.