We focus on two main questions:
i) How is the national response to economic challenge/globalisation (however we call it), linked to the characteristics of the different EU welfare states and labour markets? This also invites to rethink about the nexus between labour market and welfare state in general.
ii) What are the consequences of the deregulation processes for : (a) the individuals - not just in terms of labour market careers but as social citizenship rights and social consequences attached to them; (b) families, and mainly new young families: this point relates to the well known EU debate on the “dual participant household model” and the growth of women’s employment; © for the levels of inequality within societies and, overall, (d) how are the social consequences of the deregulation processes shaped by national welfare states/regimes.