The Europeanization of the Italian Welfare: Channels of Influence and Trends

This chapter looks at the most recent evolution of the complex interplay between EU and domestic policymakers in the field of social, education and employment policies. The chapter has both descriptive and analytical aims. We firstly map key European governance and policy instruments that have shaped welfare reforms in Italy since the 2000s. Then we address the question whether – and how – the EU pressure has become greater, especially in the wake of the Great Recession and the Eurozone crisis. The chapter points out that the composition of EU instruments has changed over time and, especially in the shadow of the crisis, new instruments have been added. Moreover, it highlights the contrasting impact of the EU on national welfare policies with an increased pressure for cost-containment and, at the same time, a pressure for modernising the Italian welfare system.