With the international crisis and the launching of a new strategy (Europe 2020) for the period 2010-2020, a cycle of the European policy came to an end. Now, probably it is the right time to reflect upon the dilemmas the Lisbon agenda had to deal with. In this paper, we aim to consider one of the central dilemmas it has been claimed to solve: how to match the social cohesion dimension with the other dimensions at stake (competitiveness, innovation, employment, economic growth, etc.). The Lisbon European Council, in March 2000, adopted an integrated strategy for economic and social development. The Lisbon Strategy has drawn on three main assumptions: (i) the defence of the European Social Model demands a more competitive Europe; (ii) the necessary update of the European Social Model must be compatible with the emergence of new competitive factors; (iii) the key-element is the transition to a knowledge (society) economy. Ten years later, a new strategy (Europe 2020) for the period 2010-20 has been launched. On the one hand, the new strategy is shaped by the economic and financial crisis that has shaken the world since 2008. On the other hand, four dimensions influence the medium term trajectory of the European Social Model.

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