An Economy that Works for People: Empty Slogan or Substantive Policy Agenda for the EU?

The Jean Monnet Network PROSPER was launched in January 2025 with a three-year mandate to conduct a wide-ranging debate on EU internal policy, specifically focused on the theme of “an Economy that Works for People.” But what exactly does this phrase mean? Is “an Economy that Works for People” merely an appealing slogan or does it also represent a significant policy agenda, and thereby the basis for a substantive programme of research for the PROSPER Network? This Policy Brief makes the argument that an Economy that Works for People (EWP), as a general concept, does indeed provide a coherent framework for EU economic policy-making. The PROSPER Network defines EWP as an economy that first and foremost benefits ordinary European citizens in practical, concrete ways. It is closely associated with the idea of the “social market economy,” a centrist approach to political economy maintaining that there is no contradiction between a robust social policy and a competitive market economy. Moreover, it is in this dual spirit that the PROSPER Network has been designed, as it is composed of experts both in market integration and social policy. Bringing together these two approaches, the PROSPER Network is conducting a policy debate on how EU economic governance should be configured to achieve the twin goals of prosperity and social fairness.