What the study found
The study found that public employment programmes in the EU during the Great Recession were largely influenced by the activation approach to labour market policy. It also identifies recent Job Guarantee experiments in EU member states, especially Greece and France, as sources of lessons for a possible European Job Guarantee.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest these findings matter because a European Job Guarantee, a public program intended to provide work as a route to full employment, has been proposed as a way to eliminate long-term unemployment across the EU. They conclude that the experiences reviewed may help design a European Job Guarantee as part of the countercyclical component of the European Employment Strategy.
What the researchers tested
The article reviews public employment programmes, or PEPs, under different theoretical and policy frameworks, including Hyman Minsky’s Job Guarantee proposal and the activation paradigm of labour market policy. It then examines the goals and rationales of PEPs used in the EU during the Great Recession and discusses recent Job Guarantee experiences in Greece and France.
What worked and what didn't
The abstract reports that PEPs are multi-purpose tools and that their objectives and design do not necessarily match Minsky’s Job Guarantee principles, such as universal coverage or voluntary participation. It also says that, during the Great Recession, EU PEP design was largely shaped by the activation approach rather than by Job Guarantee principles. The article does not provide detailed outcome comparisons for specific programmes in the abstract.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not give numerical results, detailed programme evaluations, or specific limits of the evidence reviewed. It focuses on a conceptual comparison of policy frameworks and on lessons drawn from selected country experiences rather than on a full empirical assessment of all EU programmes.
Key points
- EU public employment programmes during the Great Recession were largely shaped by the activation approach to labour market policy.
- Public employment programmes are described as multi-purpose tools, not always designed according to Job Guarantee principles.
- The article reviews Hyman Minsky’s Job Guarantee proposal and the activation paradigm.
- Recent Job Guarantee experiments in Greece and France are used to draw lessons for a European Job Guarantee.
- The authors frame a European Job Guarantee as a possible countercyclical component of the European Employment Strategy.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- EU public employment programmes during the Great Recession varied by policy goals
- Authors:
- Maria T. Karamessini
- Institutions:
- Panteion University
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-23
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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