Abstract

The rule of law is a fundamental value of the EU legal system. The economic crisis and austerity policies have brought about changes in the rule of law in the EU. The social implications of these dynamics were multiple and varied. For these reasons, it is necessary to examine thoroughly the downsizing of the rule of law at the time of the European welfare retrenchment. In this regard, the article will study the following elements: the supremacy of the economic dimension over the social one in the EU; the limited sharing of social solidarity between EU migrant citizens and the welfare of the host Member State; the weakness of the notion of social justice in the EU.