Flexicurity in the Current Economic and Social Context

• Author: Georgeta Modiga
• Pages: 719-725

The European Citizen and Public Administration

719

Flexicurity in the Current Economic and Social Context

Georgeta Modiga1

Abstract: The flexicurity concept - an abbreviation between flexibility and security - appeared in the early

90s, being used for the first time by the Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrum Rasmussen. The concept refers to

a social state model that promotes a pro-active policy in th e labour domain and the access to employment.

Flexicurity can be defined as a strategy integrated by the simultaneous consolidation of flexibility and security

on the labour market. According to the definition given by the European Commission, which establishes the

guidelines and “paths” typical for the Member States in order to develop their own strategies in the field,

flexicurity is an integrated strategy of si multaneous strengthening of flexibility and security on labour market.

This concept arose as a result of socio-economic changes registered in the last decades in Europe:

globalization and European integration, development of new technologies, the demographic aging of

European society, the segmented development of labour markets.

Keywords: flexicurity; social security; labour market

The concept of flexicurity comprises a series of considerations regarding different social systems and

their ability to meet the current challenges that our society and economy are facing, at European and

Member State level. Globalization is one of the main factors of context supporting this desire to

increase labour market flexibility, without jeopardizing at the same time the security of workers. Other

factors include the demographic challenge represented by a rapidly aging society and the increase of

feminising the workforce.

The pressures of these factors require adapting the economic and social system. Demographic change

means that Europe will have to counteract the economic pressures intensified with a stable or

declining population with legal age to work. This implies the need to increase employment rates and

also to encourage a climate in which people can combine work and family life. (Avram & Avram,

2010, pp. 375-381)

Although the European social model is characterized by a diversity of national social systems, there

can be identified at the same time more common values that define the model: universal access,

solidarity and equality / social justice. These common elements have contributed to the development

of a modern welfare state whose original objective was mitigating the negative consequences of

industrialization.

1 Associate Professor, PhD, “Danubius” University of Galati, Faculty of Law, Romania, Address: 3 Galati Blvd, 800654

Galati, Romania, Tel.: +40.372.361.102, fax: +40.372.361.290, Corresponding author: georgeta.modiga@yahoo.com.