Paul Craig QC FBA is Professor of English Law at the University of Oxford.Mark Freedland FBA is Professor of Employment Law at the University of Oxford.Dr Catherine Jacqueson is Lecturer in Law at the University of Copenhagen.Dr Nicola Kountouris is Lecturer in Law at the University of Reading.

This is an engaging study that makes compelling claims about the difficulties faced by public services, drawing upon a well-researched case study on PES. A detailed analysis of PES in each of the Member States is rightly avoided as too ambitious a project. The focus on trends enables the authors to extrapolate conclusions for reflecting on public services... The current political relevance of PES makes the study a revealing read for anyone with an interest in the regulatory vicissitudes facing public services in general; it is an essential read for those working in the area of PES and the European Employment Strategy in particular.

• INTRODUCTION ; PART I: REGULATING PUBLIC SERVICES IN EUROPE ; 1. Competence, Social Policy, and Public Services ; 2. Conceptions of Public Service in European Law ; 3. Modes of Governance and Regulatory Techniques ; 4. Employment Services as a Public Service ; PART II: EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: ACTIVITIES, FUNCTIONS, AND POLICIES ; 5. Changing Institutional and Regulatory Frameworks for Job Intermediation ; 6. Active Labour Market Policies: Between 'Right to Work' and 'Workfare' ; 7. Vocational Education and Training of the Unemployed and Public Employment Services ; 8. Making Work Pay and 'Employment Friendly Wages' ; 9. The Relationship between Public Employment Services and the Unemployed ; 10. Conclusion

Paul Craig QC FBA is Professor of English Law at the University of Oxford.Mark Freedland FBA is Professor of Employment Law at the University of Oxford.Dr Catherine Jacqueson is Lecturer in Law at the University of Copenhagen.Dr Nicola Kountouris is Lecturer in Law at the University of Reading.

This is an engaging study that makes compelling claims about the difficulties faced by public services, drawing upon a well-researched case study on PES. A detailed analysis of PES in each of the Member States is rightly avoided as too ambitious a project. The focus on trends enables the authors to extrapolate conclusions for reflecting on public services... The current political relevance of PES makes the study a revealing read for anyone with an interest in the regulatory vicissitudes facing public services in general; it is an essential read for those working in the area of PES and the European Employment Strategy in particular.

• INTRODUCTION ; PART I: REGULATING PUBLIC SERVICES IN EUROPE ; 1. Competence, Social Policy, and Public Services ; 2. Conceptions of Public Service in European Law ; 3. Modes of Governance and Regulatory Techniques ; 4. Employment Services as a Public Service ; PART II: EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: ACTIVITIES, FUNCTIONS, AND POLICIES ; 5. Changing Institutional and Regulatory Frameworks for Job Intermediation ; 6. Active Labour Market Policies: Between 'Right to Work' and 'Workfare' ; 7. Vocational Education and Training of the Unemployed and Public Employment Services ; 8. Making Work Pay and 'Employment Friendly Wages' ; 9. The Relationship between Public Employment Services and the Unemployed ; 10. Conclusion