La complessa vicenda dei diritti sociali fondamentali nell'Unione europea

This article traces the convoluted evolution of social rights in the European integration process in the light of the reform implemented by the Lisbon Treaty: considering its initial function which was merely ancillary to the needs of the common market, the normative leap of the social “profile” is nowadays beyond doubt. The difficult acquisition of a legal and political importance of the policy of social rights has taken place thanks to the important case law and to the dialogue of the ECJ and the ECHR, together with the other organs of international control. The role of fundamental social rights, theoretically enhanced by the full force of the Charter of Nice and by the accession of the Union to the Convention on Human Rights of 1950 is, however, in a difficult economic environment, closely tied to the policy choices on the more general future of the European integration process.