Abstract: This book investigates the extent to which the European Union intervenes, and should intervene, in domestic labour law. It examines the stated and potential rationales for EU intervention, and argues that there are considerable merits to be derived from separating out the integrationist, economic, and social arguments which have been deployed in defence of EU intervention. It critically considers the competence of the EU to act in this field, and demonstrates that proper regard for the subsidiarity and proportionality principles can contribute to the legitimacy of the EU. The book is informed by the ongoing debate on governance in Europe, and aims to provide insights into the implications of the shifts in policy-making technique. The intention is to provide a framework to enable the reader to think about the role that the EU has, and should, play in this field.

Keywords: European Union, labour law, governance, competence, subsidiarity, proportionality, legitimacy, integration