Varieties of Flexicurity: Reflections on Key Elements of Flexibility and Security

Background Paper

By Greet Vermeylen and John Hurley

At European level, the debate on flexicurity is currently high on the employment and social policy agenda.

Member States are reflecting on the best way to adapt their systems to the 'new reality' of maintaining the balance between the need for flexibility in the labour market to allow companies to adapt their production methods and their workforce as a result of pressure from globalisation and technological progress while providing the necessary security for workers at the same time. This background paper was prepared for a hearing on the Commission's Green Paper 'Modernising labour law to meet the challenges of the 21st century' held by the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on 21 March 2007.

Broad Conclusions of the paper include:

• Flexicurity has the potential to substantially enhance the competitiveness of the European economy and create higher levels of employment.

• Companies, workers and society have to be able to agree and trust in flexicurity.

• Security should be based on employment security, not job security, and contain a mix of rights and tools.

(Hearing on the Commission's Green Paper: 'Modernising labour law to meet the challenges of the 21st century'. European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs 21 March 2007)