This working paper examines the European Pillar of Social Rights' practical use in the context of European ‘soft' governance. It studies how the EPSR has been deployed in the 2018 European Semester and suggests some areas for reform in order to enhance its role in coordinating social policy

Social Europe is back on the political agenda - as a result of severe economic crises, prior austerity policies and a change in the European discourse framework. Six years after being announced, the European Pillar of Social Rights - although legally non-binding - has become the central...