Social aspects in EU Cohesion Policy: an introduction

This theme introduction discusses some of the contemporary developments in social policies that are, to some extent, dependent on inner European cooperation, while simultaneously requiring national agendas. These include e.g. the provision of services of general interests, questions of mobility and migration, the design of housing policies as well as how these areas are linked to the social dimension of the Cohesion Policy. The findings suggest that EU does not have the financial capacity to play a major role in the traditional social policy areas, nor the discretion to act.