All Hands on Deck! How Europeanised Is the Maltese Labour Market?

Europeanisation in the ‘Southern Periphery’: Comparative Research Findings on the EU's Impact on Domestic Political Economies

“…There was some improvement in employment and labour force participation rates during the 2000s, but this lasted only until about the onset of the Great Recession. Still, Malta continues to score the lowest levels in employment and labour force participation rates compared with EU averages, especially in the categories of women and older workers as well as among the youth (Azzopardi 2013). Moreover, skill shortages continue to remain a major challenge in the context of declining birth rates.…”

“…It operates through modernised public employment services in delivering active labour market policies . The case studies emphasise the 'soft law' basis of EU employment policy, which, they argue, renders the EES weak (Azzopardi 2013;. In member states, the 'governance mechanism' of the EES, the OMC, leaves the route to be taken in achieving common objectives open to domestic discretion.…”

“…Moreover, skill shortages continue to remain a major challenge in the context of declining birth rates. With regard to labour market performance in the informal sector, the EU impact has been even less (Azzopardi 2013).…”

“…The case study on Spain elucidates how these policy ideas are equipped with their distinct 'concepts, methodologies and indicators' (Moreno 2013, p. 229). The case study on Malta shows how these policy ideas have penetrated into the official rhetoric and discourse at the domestic level (Azzopardi 2013). The case study on Turkey demonstrates examples of how the idea of 'flexibility', under false pretences of 'flexicurity', was strategically deployed by policymakers to pursue the policy goals of enhancing 'international competitiveness' as well as legitimising 'economic liberalisation' (Bolukbasi & Ertugal 2013, p. 248).…”

Europeanisation and Dynamics of Continuity and Change: Domestic Political Economies in the ‘Southern Periphery’

“…The Maltese case study by Azzopardi (2013) investigates the changes in the labour market within the context of Europeanisation processes. The author evaluates formal and informal structures of the economy by relying on the dynamic interaction of ideas, interests and institutions to analyse whether and how Europeanisation of the Maltese labour market has occurred.…”