"This report discusses the question of a long-term institutional convergence of national unemployment benefit schemes in Europe using the examples of Germany and France. The comparison shows many similarities between the two countries. Traditionally, the areas of funding, the organisation of benefits and governance structures have been the most similar, as well as the scope of benefits. Since the 2000s, both benefit schemes have diverged in slightly different directions due to the Hartz reforms in Germany. However, recent reforms in France have brought its system closer to German developments, e.g. the stronger use of activation measures and sanctions. In both countries, these developments were driven by problematic labour market situations. The findings show that, overall, the benefit schemes of both France and Germany show a significant degree of compatibility, despite important differences in questions of detail. One difference which remains is the stronger role of the social partners in France. The study also refers to challenges in social policy which are leading to similar reform needs in both countries, e.g. in the areas of short-term employment, precarious self-employment and a stronger, more forward-looking labour market policy through investments in human capital. In this respect, both countries can learn and benefit from each other's experiences. "

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