Welfare States and Social Europe

The chapter examines the tensions between welfare states on the one hand and social Europe on the other and colliding principles in their historical setting. In particular, the chapter focuses on Social Services of General Interest (SSGI) as core institutions of the welfare state and the political response to the European impact on these public services, looking in particular at health care and long term care. The findings point out that that although Member States attempt to create "safe havens" to protect their welfare policies from European law, these may not prove to be lasting firewalls against the "creeping competences" of the European Union. Over time SSGI have become Europeanized, limiting the scope and policy options for national politicians and national administrations. Also the administrative space of SSGI is increasingly multi-level, forcing administrators at all levels to take EU rules into account, when welfare programs are designed, adopted and administered