The role of the public services in building European citizenship

Abstract

The debate on public services has featured strongly in the preparation of the Intergovernmental Conference for revision of the Maastricht Treaty. The Conference has emphasised the search for a European defence policy or a Union foreign policy. But there is a need also to pay more attention to the social dialogue at European and regional level. This contribution considers the future of the European Union from a number of angles. The author examines the effects of globalisation and its contradictory impact on the expectations of workers and citizens, particularly in relation to a European Social Union; and in his view, the public services will continue to have a special role to play in the future.

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