Chapter II: Social policies in Europe today

What is it and what are the future hopes?

Social policies are a set of complementary public policies aiming at ensuring social protection and welfare as a moral and political requirement but also as an economic necessity, providing more social cohesion and opportunities, and therefore more social stability and opportunities for economic growth. This chapter will cover the role of the European Union today in addressing social policies, as well as the key social achievements, challenges and hopes for the European Union.