ABSTRACT
Many countries of the European Union are confronted with big social problems. Governments have tried different ways of solving them. In this way, a European patchwork of national labour market and welfare systems has grown. These national solutions have come under increasing pressures as a result of the interrelations between internal market and social policies. Indeed, to maintain competitiveness labour markets and welfare states have to function efficiently. Countries that do not contribute to this effort for competitiveness via labour market reform actually are a constraint on the development of their partner countries. So, the Union has gradually elaborated a European policy for employment and social security.
