The globalisation of markets is calling national employment and social legislation increasingly into question, so that not only the international trade union organisations but also the Clinton Administration are calling for workers' rights to be embodied in trade agreements. This article deals...

The economic crisis has given rise to significant challenges to the welfare state. Given that welfare expenses account for a large proportion of all state spending in the member countries of the European Union, reducing government spending means cutting welfare measures. Yet social protection,...

To what extent a pension system can be judged fair given structural differences in life expectancy across socioeconomic groups is not straightforward and will depend on the exact design of the system and other social policies in place, and how these policies interact with the pension system.