One of the main objectives of the European Union (EU) is to improve the working and living conditions of its citizens. The fight against poverty and social exclusion has long been part of the EU’s policy to achieve this objective. EU intervention in this field has been complicated since it is politically sensitive, complex and a highly segmented subject. Consequently, the Member States have always been reluctant to attribute the EU with a greater responsibility in the field and as such, EU activity has been characterized by soft modes of governance. The effectiveness of these modes of governance has raised doubts about the impact of EU policy in the field, particularly since the advent of the Eurozone crisis. This panel brings together papers that address these regulatory limitations from different analytical angles such as: the EU discourse of social welfare; the integration dynamics and interactions of different modes of EU governance; and the complexities of the policy targeted groups in different EU countries.