This thought-provoking book examines the state of the European Monetary Union (EMU) and its shortcomings in terms of social rights protection in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the Euro crisis. Providing a critical analysis of the basic tenets of European economic governance, it highlights current challenges for a Social Europe and proposes new avenues for tackling these issues.

Focusing on the existing mechanisms of social rights protection in the EU, chapters explore the imbalance between economic and social goals within the EMU, discussing how to strengthen the building blocks of Social Europe in order to address this. The book also investigates the challenges for the adjudication of social rights before European and domestic courts, and considers alternative models of judicial review that offer better protection in the context of crisis.



Scholars and students of EU law, constitutional law, and public international law will find this book a crucial read, in particular those with an interest in law and economics. It will also be useful for EU law practitioners working in social rights.