Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Social cohesion: fleshing out a European social model
Date: 2006-07-06
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: European social policy, citizens' Europe, economic and social cohesion, social dialogue (EU)

16.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 309/119

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Social cohesion: fleshing out a Euro-
pean social model

(2006/C 309/25)

On 19 January 2006, the European Economic and Social Committee, acting in accordance with Rule 29(2)
of its Rules of Procedure, decided to draw up an opinion on: Social cohesion: fleshing out a European social
model

The Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 2 June 2006. The rapporteur was Mr Ehnmark.

At its 428th plenary session, held on 5 and 6 July 2006 (meeting of 6 July 2006), the European Economic
and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 91 votes to one with five abstentions.

1. Conclusions and recommendations

1.1
The European Social Model is a reality, based on unity
in overarching objectives, and on diversity in applications. The
model has proved its value in providing inspiration to the
European countries in building societies of cohesion, solidarity
and competitiveness.
the model will be
In coming years,
confronted with major new challenges. The task today is to
flesh out the contents of the social model and prepare for the
future.

The strength of the European Social Model has been
1.2
determined by the way in which competitiveness, solidarity and
mutual trust have interacted. In this way, the model is both a
reality and a vision for the future. But it can never be regarded
as ‘final’ in any sense. It must be dynamic and responsive to
new challenges.

1.3
The European social model, in the present analysis, is
not confined to the traditional meaning of the term social. As
the linkages between various sectors have developed, the term
social has to connect to both economic and environmental
issues. Only by accepting this wide definition can the social
model give the necessary inspiration in addressing future chal-
lenges. With this wide interpretation, the model could as well
be labelled a European societal model, of which the social
aspect constitutes one element. In this analysis, however, the
term social is used.

1.4
All national systems of the EU are marked by the consis-
tency between economic efficiency and social progress. Prop-
erly designed social and labour market policies have been a
positive force both for social
justice and for economic effi-
ciency and productivity. Social policy is a productive factor.

1.5
The EESC identifies a set of core elements of the Euro-
pean Social Model, starting with the role of the state as guar-
antor and often also provider of action for promoting social
cohesion and justice, by aiming for high levels of employment
and providing high-quality public services. Other core elements
relate, inter alia, to measures for productivity and competitive-
ness, for meeting environmental challenges, and for research
and education.

The achievements of the European Social Model, which
1.6
has evolved over long time, are substantial in economic, social
and environment terms. The emergence of a European Welfare
Area is the most tangible result. This cannot, however, conceal
weaknesses of the model, such as continued social segregation,
persistent poverty areas, and sustained high unemployment,
particularly among the young.

1.7
For Europe, and for the European Social Model, the
challenges ahead are substantial. They cover competitiveness
and employment, social inclusion and combating poverty, and
the effects of globalisation. Other challenges concern gender
issues, migration and demographic development.

1.8
If the European Social Model is to be of value in the
shaping of the European society of tomorrow, it has to be a
dynamic model, open for challenge, change and reform.

1.9
The European Social Model will be relevant only as long
as it is appreciated and supported by the citizens of Europe.
The analysis and the key issues of the European Social Model
should be used as a basis for debate and dialogue in Member
States, and thus provide citizens with a new means for
presenting their views on what kind of Europe and what kind
of social model they want.

1.10
In a condensed phrase, the hypothesis of this opinion
is that the European Social Model should provide an idea of a
democratic, green, competitive, solidarity-based and socially
inclusive welfare area for all citizens of Europe.

2. Analysis and comments

2.1 Background and definitions

2.1.1 Intr odu ct i on

2.1.1.1
The European Social Model and its characteristics
have become the subject of lively debate. This is not surprising,
as a number of recent events have provided fuel for the discus-
sion. The draft constitutional treaty has not won the support of
the public and the visions it outlined have failed to materialise.

C 309/120

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.12.2006

Other developments and events, too, have inspired a debate on
the European Social Model: Europe's sluggish economic perfor-
mance and failure to raise employment, the demographic devel-
opment, the continuing globalisation and its consequences, and
the intense debate on the draft services directive. The integra-
tion of new Member States is further inspiring debates on the
future of the EU.

2.1.1.2 With this opinion, the EESC makes its contribution
to the ongoing debate. The opinion will be used as a basis for
further dialogue with the social partners and organised civil
society.

The starting-point of the opinion is a recognition of
2.1.1.3
the fact that there exists a set of values and visions, but also a
social reality, that together can be called a European Social
Model. The purpose is to examine the contents of this model
and to outline ideas and challenges for its further development.

2.1.1.4
As a vision for Europe, the social model has to
develop in a symbiosis with other visions for Europe, primarily
that of sustainable development and the vision of Europe
becoming the most competitive knowledge-based society on
earth, providing more and better jobs and social cohesion.

2.1.2 De fi ni ti on a nd sc op e of

th e E u r op e a n Soc i a l

Mode l

2.1.2.1
The analysis of the European Social Model has to
start with the value systems as developed in the European
countries. The value systems provide the basis for any discus-
sion on common features of a social model The European
Union is founded on certain common values: freedom, democ-
racy, respect for human rights and dignity, equality, solidarity,
dialogue and social justice. The fact that the model is partly a
rights-based model — as illustrated by the Social Charter —
underlines that the model is value-based.

2.1.2.2
In this analysis, the European Social Model is seen in
a broad sense. The social model cannot be confined to the
traditional meaning of the term social. The interrelationship
between economic, social and environmental issues necessitate
a wide interpretation of the social model.

2.1.2.3 Moreover,
in this analysis of the European Social
Model a double approach has been chosen: a focus on values
and visions, in combination with core policies for reaching the
is not confined to formulating
visions. The social model
visions; it is also very much an exercise in transferring vision
into political reality. The role of the model is to give inspiration
and to provide a framework for addressing new issues.

2.1.2.4
A hypothesis for the following analysis is that the
European Social Model of today is basically composed of three
main blocks: economic, social and environmental objectives. It
is in the interaction between these sectors — against the back-
ground of trends such as globalisation — that the concrete
development of the social model takes place. The strength of
the European Social Model has been determined by the way in
which competitiveness, solidarity and mutual trust interacted.
In this perspective, the European Social Model can never be
regarded as ‘final’
It must be dynamic and
responding to the challenges from inside or outside.

in any sense.

2.1.2.5
This vision could be summarised in the following
sentence: The European Social Model provides an idea of a
democratic, green, competitive, solidarity-based and socially
inclusive welfare area for all citizens of Europe.

It

is relevant,

to highlight

in this context,

2.1.2.6
the
connection between economic efficiency and social justice and
is founded on both.
cohesion. The European Social Model
Despite the diversity between national systems,
there is a
distinct European Social Model in that all national systems of
the EU countries are marked by the consistency between
economic efficiency and social progress. At the same time, the
social dimension functions as a productive factor. For instance,
good health and good labour law accounts for good economic
results. Properly designed social and labour market policies,
supported by the social partners, can be a positive force both
for social justice and cohesion and for economic efficiency and
productivity. Unemployment benefits coupled with active
labour market policies stabilise economies and promote active
adjustment to change through skill enhancement and efficient
job search and retraining. Well-targeted government investment
can serve
in physical
economic and social aims. The two aspects can and should be
mutually reinforcing. Active participation by social partners
and civil society can improve cohesion while raising economic
efficiency.

and human capital

infrastructure

2.1.2.7
Another way of looking at this is to point out that
not having a social Europe brings both economic and political
costs with it. A study of the costs of non-social policy for the
European Commission identified substantial economic benefits
of social policy in terms of allocative efficiency, labour produc-
tivity and economic stabilisation. The study concluded that
‘social policies based on investments in human and social
capital are conducive to higher economic efficiency for they
improve productivity and the quality of the labour force. Social
policy is therefore a productive factor, even though its costs are
generally visible in the short term while its benefits are often
only apparent in the long term’ (1).

(1) Dr Didier Fouarge (2003, January 3). Cost of non-social policy:
Towards an economic framework of quality social policies — and
the costs of not having them
(URL:
costs030103.pdf).

http://www.lex.unict.it/eurolabor/documentazione/altridoc/

16.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 309/121

2.1.2.8
European countries and in some cases even regions
have had their specific historical experiences, conflicts and
forms of conflict resolution. The social consensus on the right
‘balance’ of values also differs somewhat, although not funda-
mentally. These have given rise to a myriad of institutional
forms by means of which the ‘social constitution’ of countries
is implemented — i.e. values which have been transformed
into legal rights and entitlements — and in which the market
economy and the legal and constitutional and governmental
apparatus are embedded. The European treaties both emphasise
the common values underpinning the social model and insist
on the importance of respecting national diversity.

To this must be added the environment

2.1.2.9
issues.
Rapidly rising energy prices, continued contamination of the
transport and
atmosphere, and ensuing effects on housing,
work-life will aggravate the balances between economic effi-
ciency and productivity and social justice and cohesion. Never-
theless, here too there are examples in which policies that
promote sustainability can go hand in hand with the pursuit of
economic and social objectives. This is valid also for issues like
public health and security. Environmental degradation is
creating new health problems, both for young and adults. The
example illustrates the need for a better integration of environ-
mental issues in the European Social Model.

2.1.2.12
The EESC would like to propose that the following
features — a social reality, not just a set of values, albeit differ-
ently institutionalised — be taken as constituting core elements
of a European Social Model that are either already embodied in
EU countries or should be done so as a matter of policy:

1) the state takes responsibility for promoting social cohesion
and justice by aiming for high levels of employment, and
providing or guaranteeing high-quality public services
(services of general interest), and instituting redistributory
budgetary policies;

2) governments and/or social partners or other agencies
provide social protection systems that provide suitable
insurance or social protection against major risks (such as
unemployment, ill health, old age) at levels that prevent
poverty and social exclusion;

3) fundamental legal (or quasi-legal) rights — as reflected in
international agreements — such as the right of associa-
tion and the right to strike;

4) the involvement of employees at all levels together with
social

relations or autonomous

industrial

systems of
dialogue;

Some have

2.1.2.10
institutional
variety that there is actually no such thing as a European Social
Model. Either there are (at least) as many models as there are
countries, or, at best, they can be grouped into ‘families’.

concluded from this

5) a strong and clear commitment to pursue gender issues in
all parts of society, and particularly in education and
working life;

2.1.2.11 While by no means wishing to play down this
diversity, the EESC notes the following reasons why it can
make sense to speak of a single European Social Model:

6) necessary policies for addressing migration issues, particu-
larly in the context of the demographic development in EU
countries;

1) in contrast to previous approaches, which explicitly sought
to identify families within European capitalism, substantial
differences in outcomes emerge, when taking a global view,
between the European countries as a group and those of
non-European advanced capitalist countries (and especially
the US);

2) institutional diversity is much more significant

than the
diversity of social outcomes across Europe, because many
institutions are functional equivalents;

3) European economies are increasingly closely integrated, far
more so than is the case in other regions, creating the need
for joint approaches in many policy areas;

4) uniquely, the countries of the European Union also have
supra-national, namely a European, dimension to their
social models in that
the EU has an established ‘social
acquis’ (2).

(2) The European social acquis comprises directives on issues like infor-
mation on individual employment conditions (91/533/ECC), preg-
nant workers (92/85/EEC), parental leave (96/34/EC), working time
(2003/88/EC), young people at work (94/33/EC) and part time
work (97/81/EC).

7) a set of social and employment legislation that ensures
equal opportunities
and protects vulnerable groups,
including positive policies to address the specific needs of
disadvantaged groups (the young, the elderly, the disabled);

8) a set of macroeconomic and structural policy measures
that promotes
sustainable, non-inflationary economic
growth, promotes trade on a level playing field (single
market) and provides support measures for industry and
service providers and particularly for entrepreneurs and
SMEs;

9) necessary policies programmes for promoting investments
in areas that are essential for Europe's future, particularly
life-long learning,
research and development, environ-
mental technologies etc.;

10) a continued priority for promoting social mobility and

providing equal opportunities for all;

11) a responsibility for launching necessary policies for addres-
sing the environmental issues, particularly those related to
health and the supply of energy;

C 309/122

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.12.2006

12) a broad agreement that public and private investments in
Europe have to be sustained at a very high level in order
to promote competitiveness and social and environmental
progress;

the new circumstances and,
regime
competition from leading to a race to the bottom within
Europe that would seriously lower social standards.

in particular, prevent

13) a commitment to sustainable development, such that the
economic and social achievements of the current genera-
tion are not achieved at the cost of restrictions on coming
generations (inter-generational solidarity);

14) a clear commitment

to solidarity with the developing
countries and for providing assistance to their economic,
social and environmental reform programmes.

Enlargement of

2.2.7
the EU has contributed in a very
constructive way to the emerging identity of a European Social
Model. Enlargement has enriched the Union with a large group
of countries with a long history of cultural, social, economic
and industrial achievements.
It has firmly established the
cultural dimension of the social model. The cultural dimension
will be one of the key mechanisms for promoting EU cohesion.

2.2 Achievements of the European Social Model

The establishment of

2.2.1
the European Union and its
successful enlargement is an event of historic proportions. A
continent torn by war and conflict has managed to turn over a
new leaf and steer itself away from belligerent nationalism. The
European Social Model must be seen in this context.

2.2.8
Social dialogue, at all levels, has become a vital expres-
sion of the European Social Model. With the social dialogue, an
emerging consensus has developed that the high ambitions of
the Lisbon strategy and of the social model as such will be
extremely difficult to realise without the participation of the
social partners. The European way of addressing employee
participation ensures that the continuous structural changes
that businesses undergo is a success for all parties concerned.

2.2.2
Europe can be justly proud of the social outcomes it
has achieved by virtue of the institutions and policies it has put
in place, in their myriad forms, at national and, to some extent,
European level. On key welfare indicators,
including poverty
and inequality, life expectancy and health, European countries
top the world rankings.

2.2.9
The social partners have played a decisive role in
implementing EU policies. This role is unique in the world. It
has even been suggested that the social partners, at EU level,
should take responsibility for all regulatory work concerning
working life issues.

2.2.3 Many European countries lead international rankings
of productivity and competitiveness, although there are consid-
erable variations between the EU Member States. It is a signifi-
cant achievement that a number of EU countries place them-
selves in the absolute global forefront as to competitiveness
and investments in research. The vision of a knowledge-inten-
sive society, with research and lifelong learning as key ingredi-
ents, has become a strongly supported part of the European
model.

2.2.9.1
As regards the basic architecture of the European
social model, too high a value cannot be placed on the funda-
mental role played by the social partners in the fields of
economic and social policy. In this context, attention should be
drawn to the particular importance of
the regulatory role
played by employers' and employees' associations in connection
with collective agreements and wage agreements. The well-
established right of participation enjoyed by representatives of
employees in factories and enterprises is also one of the funda-
mental institutions of the European social model.

2.2.4
Europe has gone furthest in implementing the Kyoto
protocol — even if the overall results remain disappointing.
Europe has also become one of the leading global regions in
investing in environment-friendly technologies and in devel-
oping new energy solutions to heating and transport.

2.2.5
Comparing indicators of social cohesion and security
and employment/unemployment rates across OECD countries
reveals that countries that offer high levels of security to their
citizens and workers tend to have higher employment with the
Nordic countries being prominent positive examples.

It

is becoming increasingly apparent

2.2.6
that political
support for further European integration is contingent on a
perception that this goes beyond mere market integration. As
economic borders are broken down, Member State govern-
ments and the European institutions, together with the social
partners at national and European level, are developing appro-
priate mechanisms that ensure social cohesion and justice in

2.2.10
Participation of citizens and their organisations is a
fundamental part of shaping the European Social Model. Civil
their
society organisations give voice to the aspirations of
members and are often also important social service providers.
The future of the European Social Model and its dynamism will
depend on more involvement of the organised civil society by
extending civil dialogue and thereby participatory democracy.

High quality public sector services is another issue of
2.2.11
the social model. The
importance for the identification of
overall picture of the situation in the EU is that the public
sector, as guarantor and/or provider of essential
services
equally distributed, has a wider support and role in the EU than
elsewhere. In areas such as education and training, health care
and care for the elderly, the public sector has a decisive role in
all Member States. At the same time, a debate is growing
concerning the alternate roles of the public sector, as guarantor
of specific services, or as both guarantor and provider.

16.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 309/123

2.2.12
Closely related to the public sector is the build-up of
social economy entities in a number of EU countries. The
social economy fulfils a double role: it manages essential tasks,
particularly in the care sector while at the same time providing
jobs for citizens who do not easily fit into regular employment,
such as the handicapped. The social economy is expanding in
more or less all EU countries, partly because of the demo-
graphic development and the need for care for the elderly. The
social economy plays a vital role in combating poverty. The
social economy has many ‘faces’ and a rich variety of organisa-
tional forms and is not necessarily intended to become part of
the competitive system.

2.3 Weaknesses and challenges

2.3.1 While it is right to emphasise the achievements of the
European Social Model, it would be wrong not to recognize its
weaknesses and also to the challenges it faces in a changing
environment. Pride in the social model must not be confused
with complacency.

2.3.2
It is often said that a model cannot be called ‘social’ if
it condemns a tenth or a twelfth of the workforce to unem-
ployment. In one sense this is correct: unemployment in much
of the European Union is unacceptably high, creating social
threatening social cohesion and
and economic hardship,
wasting productive resources. However,
implicit in the chal-
lenge claim is often that Europe, by choosing to have a social
model is at the same time choosing to have high unemploy-
ment, that unemployment is a price to be paid for social cohe-
sion. The EESC rejects this view. Europe does not have to
choose between social cohesion and high employment.

2.3.3
Unemployment remains the key threat to the Euro-
pean Social Model, raising costs, reducing financing opportu-
nities, and creating inequalities and social tensions. Getting
unemployment down remains the key priority. This is particu-
larly the case with youth unemployment, which in many coun-
tries is substantially higher than the average unemployment
rate and, with a high risk of long-term exclusion from the
labour market and society more generally, is particularly dama-
ging both socially and economically. To solve this problem a
broad package of supply-side measures is required together
with a demand-side policy towards achieving the maximum
possible output.

present high ambitions, policies for social cohesion in EU
Member States have not succeeded in arresting poverty and
unemployment. This is a major task ahead.

2.3.5
These and other weaknesses in European economy
and society, in our social model, are often seen as being exacer-
bated by new challenges, in the form of economic globalisation,
the rise of new technologies and demographic ageing. Longer
life expectancy and falling birth rates raise serious issues about
the financing of social security systems — pension systems
being a prime example. The EESC cautions against drawing
simplistic policy conclusions from a number of popular beliefs:

— While globalisation does mean that more and more goods
and services are traded internationally, it is important to be
aware that, taking the EU-25 as a single economic entity,
only just over 10 % of European output is exported (or
imported). This makes the EU no more open an economy
than the US (which is usually seen as much more indepen-
dent of global forces). Member States must make social and
political choices about their welfare systems and necessary
system should be
reforms. A badly designed benefit
reformed for the higher productivity or employment
it
enables, by providing greater security for beneficiaries, not
because of ‘globalisation’.

— Similarly, technological change is to be welcomed as raising
the productivity of labour, and helping to create the wealth
necessary to finance high living standards and levels of
social protection. The correct response to technological
change is to invest in workers and support adjustment
processes through well designed social policies in order to
move European companies and workers up the skill ladder.

— Demography certainly influences

the European Social
Model — but the reverse is also true. Sensible childcare
policies allow women and men to work without having to
choose between a career and a family; active ageing policies
keep elderly workers in the labour force, enabling them and
society as a whole to benefit from longer life expectancy.
Life-long learning promotes adaptability and raises produc-
are
and employment. Moreover,
tivity
confronted with demographic problems.

societies

all

remain pronounced across

Geographical inequality and poverty (calculated at 70
2.3.4
million citizens)
the European
Union and has increased since enlargement. Even in wealthy
European countries too many people suffer (relative) poverty.
Child poverty is particularly scandalous, ruining life chances
and entrenching inequalities across generations. Even with

— Finally, it is a well-acknowledged fact that Europe needs to
develop and coordinate, rather than to limit, European
economic policies, as instruments for countering market
disturbances such as harmful tax competition. Such distur-
bances put pressure on social systems and their financial
bases. On the other hand, European integration is a
powerful
force for trade and economic efficiency and,
moreover, creates the possibility to regulate some aspects of

C 309/124

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.12.2006

working and social life at the more relevant European level.
Achieving this in the face of institutional diversity is a
major challenge to policymakers and not least the social
partners.

2.4 A dynamic model

2.4.1
If the European Social Model is to survive, and be able
to influence policies ahead, it has to be dynamic and open to
debate and reform. History gives us plenty of examples of chal-
lenges to the model that could not be foreseen: threatening
environmental catastrophes, drastic demographic and family-
structure changes, energy supply crises, the knowledge revolu-
tion, the new and powerful information and communication
technologies, and changing patterns of production and work-
life.

Looking forward, the key challenge facing the Euro-
2.4.2
pean Social Model
is to identify aspects of the model that
promote win-win or win-win-win solutions. In other words,
the focus should be on identifying existing and new policies
that promote social cohesion and economic performance as
well as sustainable development.

the same time,
steady, measured reforms are
2.4.3
At
needed of
those institutions for which there is substantial
evidence that they are having negative effects in economic,
social or environmental terms. Policy impact assessments can
be useful here, the aim being to produce better regulation,
rather than simplistic deregulation.

2.4.4 Where are the new challenges to the European Social
Model to be found? Primarily in three sectors: competitiveness
and employment, social inclusion and combating poverty, and
effects of globalisation. In a longer perspective, the environ-
ment challenges can result
in far-reaching relocations of
production and workplaces. To this should be added migration
issues (internally and externally) and gender issues; both will
strongly influence the future outlook of the European Social
Model.

promotes employment and innovation, as was also stressed by
the social partners in their recent joint work programme (3). It
is particularly important that the social partners can agree on
measures to reduce youth unemployment. Unemployment as
such is a tragedy; unemployment among the young generations
is a threat
the democratic European
society.

to the very fabric of

2.4.7
In the perspective of environment challenges, there
will be needed more investments in transports and housing,
and in community planning and reform. The rise of the energy
prices will have profound effects on social cohesion and struc-
tural policies. This is a key area promising win-win-win-solu-
tions.

2.4.8
The macroeconomic governance system must give
better support to the Lisbon targets. In a longer perspective,
post-Lisbon, it will be vitally important to establish a growth-
oriented balance between a supply- and a demand-side
economic policy.

2.4.9
Globalisation is a challenge not only in terms of trade
and prices. Globalisation is also an opportunity, for instance in
opening up new markets for environment-friendly technolo-
gies. Europe must invest far more in modern technologies,
particularly in the environmental sphere, as other countries,
such as the US, are rapidly recognising these opportunities.
Globalisation is not only a matter of trying to cope; it is very
much a matter of acting proactively and identifying the oppor-
tunities.

The most serious of possible challenges ahead would
2.4.10
be a return in Europe to more nation-state policies with protec-
tionism and closing markets. That would effectively be dama-
ging both economically and socially.

2.4.11
No social model has reached its final stage, nor will
any ever do so. The basic idea behind a social model is that it
generates ideas and insights as it moves forward. A social
model must be dynamic or it will petrify — and perish. The
social model has to be tested and debated in a continuous
democratic process. Assessments have to be made and the
appropriate governance instruments developed and refined.

2.4.5
It will be essential to further develop the knowledge-
intensive society, both in research and in lifelong learning.
Knowledge will become, even more than today, a crucial factor
for achieving competitiveness and thereby creating resources
for social policies.
it will be important to
continue supporting entrepreneurship and the growth of small
enterprises. The social effects of the knowledge revolution are
potentially an item that could be usefully addressed by the
Social Dialogue. To develop new and efficient systems for life-
long learning will be a specific challenge for governments and
for the social partners.

In this context,

2.5 Is the European Social Model a global reference model?

2.5.1
It is possible to see the European Social Model as an
attempt to draw up a blueprint for shaping a sustained welfare
Union for the future, marked by highly competitive industry,
very high social ambitions and a high level of responsibility for
environmental challenges. Described in this way, and with
emphasis on its democratic functions,
the European Social
Model can be a source of ideas and experiences for other coun-
tries or groups of countries.

2.4.6
There is an important need to investigate the establish-
ment of a new balance between flexibility and security which

(3) ‘Work Programme of the European Social Partners 2006-2008’. See
also EESC opinion of 17 May 2006 on ‘Flexicurity — the case of
Denmark’, rapporteur: Ms Vium (not published in OJ as yet).

16.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 309/125

2.5.2
Can the European Social Model become a global refer-
ence model? Every country and every group of countries have
to develop their own social model, and develop their own
applications. What have proved valuable in Europe is not
necessarily valuable in another country and in another set of
challenges. But even so, the European Social Model could have
an inspiring role, not the least because it tries to integrate the
economic, social and environmental
issues in an ‘idea of a
democratic, green, competitive, solidarity-based and socially
inclusive welfare area for all citizens of Europe’.
It will be
judged by other countries in terms of its success in achieving
these goals.

There is a growing interest among EU partners in the
2.5.3
approach that is combining economic, employment, social and
environmental objectives in a reinforcing way. The European
economic and social model in regional integration can be used
as a source of inspiration for our partner regions and countries.
The three pillar approach has proved its value in the EU.

2.5.4
In its study on the social dimension of globalisation,
the ILO explicitly referred to the European Social Model as a
possible inspiration for newly industrialising countries (4). One
example could be China which has achieved sustained rapid
economic growth, but is increasingly becoming aware of social
tensions and the environmental problematic.

2.6 Take the issues to the citizens of Europe

2.6.1
The European Social Model will persist, and survive,
only as long as it is supported by the citizens of the Union. If
it must meet the citizens in
the model

is to remain valid,

Brussels, 6 July 2006

debate and dialogue. This would, for the citizens, offer an
essential opportunity for adding their voices to the overarching
debate on the future of the European society.

In this opinion,

2.6.2
the EESC has presented a basic
analysis of the European Social Model. This analysis should be
further developed. There is a particular need for clear linkages
between ideas and reality. In this way, the model could be a
basis for further discussions concerning what kind of European
society citizens want. In the framework of the new EU informa-
tion and communication strategy, it would be possible to use
the social model as a basis for dialogue.

Ultimately, it is on the basis of debate, dialogue and
2.6.3
growing awareness that citizens of Europe will commit them-
selves to the defence of the European Social Model and to
support its further development.

2.7 The role of the EESC

2.7.1
The members of EESC are an important channel to the
constituencies they represent. The EESC regularly organises
stakeholder forums in a wide context, for exchange of opinions
and views.

2.7.2
The EESC will consider using the European Social
Model as a basis for a wider communication effort in the
Union. In this way, the EESC can give a concrete contribution
to the debate on what kind of Europe, and what kind of social
model, the European peoples want in the future. Social part-
ners, organised civil society, and the national economic and
social councils will be invited to take part.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND

(4) URL: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/wcsdg/globali/synthesis.pdf.