In the 2000 Lisbon Agenda, the EU expressed its intention of making Europe become ‘the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and respect for the environment by 2010’. With less than one year left until the deadline, it seems that these goals will be hard to meet, even more so with the current global crisis.

Yet thinking has to go beyond immediate responses to the current crisis to discuss the kind of strategy that should be implemented in the medium to long term in order not to reproduce the failures of the recent past. In this respect,
the ‘social investment’ paradigm that emerged in the mid-1990s may provide governments and the EU with some guidelines for the macro-economic and social policies that need to be implemented in order to promote sustainable economic growth and ensure the political and social sustainability of the European Social Model.

This report assesses the diversity feasibility, but also the relevance of the social investment strategy in Europe. What policies have been implemented in different countries, with what success? What have been the key drivers of change or impeding factors in pursuing a social investment strategy? The report also questions whether the goals defined in 2000 are still relevant, and whether the social investment strategy can help face not only traditional European problems but also new issues created by the current crisis.

The report is presented 27th October at the conference ’Sustainable work – a challenge in times of economic crises’ arranged by the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS). More information about the conference

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• What Future for Social Investment?