The purpose of this study is to examine how social rights were addressed during the economic crisis that affected the European Union, particularly the countries of southern Europe.

Social rights are approached in this specific context as a whole. At the same time, however, a more specific case study is presented in order to more clearly demonstrate the restrictions imposed by austerity measures on specific social rights.

The concern that this study seeks to address is whether the fiscal crisis that hit Greece and other heavily indebted countries in the Eurozone has revealed the gap that exists between the rhetoric and the reality of social Europe.

The subject of examination is specifically the question of whether the provisions of international and European law that guarantee social rights can mitigate the social impacts of austerity measures, providing a social dimension to the union's economic and social policy.