In the beginning Labour Law and Social Security Law were of little significance in the development of European Law. They only played a very minor role in the founding Treaties of the European Communities as their aim was primarily to harmonise economic, not social conditions. 50 years after the Rome Treaties the situation is completely different – there is more and more awareness that the only way to further develop European Law and the European Union as a whole is by not only getting rid of competitive constraints but also by making the citizens of Europe aware of its social dimension.

Now is therefore a good time for an outline of European Labour Law. This textbook was written mainly with students in mind that are specialising in Labour Law but it also gives practising labour lawyers an overview of the most important regulations and judgments on this subject. References were deliberately kept to a minimum, instead numerous examples and a summary of the most significant judgments of the ECJ illustrate vividly the contentious issues.