Społeczna gospodarka rynkowa jako model ładu gospodarczego Unii Europejskiej

The content of the article focuses on the concept of social market economy and its importance as a model for the development of the economic order of the European Union. The study covers three main issues related to the definition of a social market economy, discussing its ordoliberal roots and implementation of this concept in the European Union. The purpose of the analysis presented in the article is to determine the impact of the theoretical basis of social market economy model for the formation of the European Union and its selected institutions. The article, based on the experience of the Federal Republic of Germany, shows the main problems associated with the definition and implementation of this concept in practice. Confronting nature of the model and the requirements posed by the public and politicians, cause tension and the need to abandon the more radical moves. But its success is likely due to the effectiveness of the functioning of legislation and German institutions, characterized by political independence. The conclusions coming from the analysis allow us to say that ordoliberal roots of this model from the very beginning of the EU have influenced its institutional-legal shape, and the Lisbon Treaty only deepened this relationship. Entering the model of the social market economy in the Lisbon Treaty, however, involves the necessity of determining how much the German model should be imitated, and how much to look for new solutions. Necessary for this purpose is the correct perception of the model, which implies the need for wider dissemination of the ordoliberal theory.