What the study found
Public employment programmes in the EU during the Great Recession were largely shaped by the activation approach to labour market policy rather than by the universal and voluntary design principles associated with Minsky’s Job Guarantee.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors argue that the experiences reviewed may offer lessons for designing a European Job Guarantee, which they present as a countercyclical component of the European Employment Strategy aimed at eliminating long-term unemployment across the EU.
What the researchers tested
The article compares public employment programmes under alternative theoretical and policy frameworks, with more detail on Minsky’s Job Guarantee proposal and the activation paradigm. It then examines the goals and rationales of EU public employment programmes during the Great Recession and reviews recent Job Guarantee experiences in Greece and France.
What worked and what didn't
The abstract says public employment programmes have been used since the 1930s to address long-term unemployment in major crises, including the Great Recession. It also says that several Job Guarantee experiments have been carried out in EU Member States, and that these cases are used to draw lessons for a European design. The abstract does not report specific program outcomes, so it does not say what worked better or worse in the individual cases.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not provide detailed findings from the Greece and France cases, nor does it describe specific evaluation measures or comparative results. It also does not state limitations beyond the fact that the article draws lessons from the experiences it reviews.
Key points
- EU public employment programmes during the Great Recession were mainly influenced by the activation approach to labour market policy.
- Minsky’s Job Guarantee is described as relying on principles such as universal coverage and voluntary participation.
- The article reviews public employment programmes in the EU and recent Job Guarantee experiences in Greece and France.
- The authors say these experiences may help inform a European Job Guarantee aimed at eliminating long-term unemployment.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- EU public employment programmes differed from job guarantee principles
- Authors:
- Maria T. Karamessini
- Institutions:
- Panteion University
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-23
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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