Where Now for European Social Democracy? - Policy Network

ROGER LIDDLE 69the part of the European Commission but also in the member states.The positive result has been the sharing of policy experience amongexperts on many of the challenges facing Europe. The best example ofthis is in employment policy where the case for more labour-marketflexibility and a switch to ‘active’ policies now represents theoverwhelming policy consensus.But the impact of the open method of co-ordination andbenchmarking of national policies has been less than the advocateshoped. Ministers have shied away from giving these processes real life.In part, the reluctance to embrace Lisbon wholeheartedly reflectsunderstandable political caution in exposing national governments tocriticism from Brussels. Top-down pressure from Europe used to beseen as a useful reinforcement of national reform efforts, but this isless true than it once was. A decade ago, this is how conformity withthe Maastricht convergence criteria, enabling member states to jointhe single currency was secured. Today, when the legitimacy ofEuropean integration is being undermined by Europe’s disappointingeconomic performance, politicians are reluctant to highlight anycriticism, especially if that involves the European Commission telling amember state that its performance in some policy area or other is notup to scratch.In Germany, the Länder share a gut instinct that many of the itemson the Lisbon agenda are ‘none of Europe’s business’, particularlyeducation, which the centre-right jealously guards as a Ländercompetence. In other countries, ministers retreat from daring toadvocate any positive agenda for Europe in the face of rising Euroscepticism.This spring, it will be interesting to see whether nationalgovernments are prepared to take up the excellent Kokrecommendations on labour market reform in order to reinforce theirnational reform efforts. Britain has proposed that each member statemake specific pledges of action in the year ahead. It is that type ofresponse that is necessary, if benchmarking is to have real bite.For social democrats in Opposition, the failure so far of nationalgovernments to embrace Lisbon with enthusiasm represents a missedpolitical opportunity. Each and every European government has