EGUAGLIANZA E WELFARE DEGLI IMMIGRATI: TRA SELF-RESTRAINT LEGISLATIVO E APERTURE GIURISPRUDENZIALI E CONTRATTUALI

The present work analyses the benefits granted in the Italian system of social security to immigrants, who hold a regular permit, according to international law, EU and ECHR legal frameworks and constitutional principles. Despite the «multi-level» legal system foresees the principle of equality among citizens and immigrants, national and regional legislations limit the categories of foreigners entitled to social security benefits, especially in the field of social assistance. Such a restrictive policy is counter-balanced, either by the jurisprudence of the Constitutional and first-instance Courts on the grounds of the principles of equality and non-discrimination, or by the provisions contained in several collective agreements.