Flexicurity refers to a form of work organisation making it easier for companies to restructure or make redundancies, in return for high levels of social protection from the state. It was pioneered in the Nordic countries (especially Denmark), and widely advocated as a response to the economic crisis. However, its success depends on well-developed consultation with the social partners and services to assist job-seekers: conditions that do not apply in all EU countries. Consequently, trade unions have warned against the misuse of this principle to obtain greater flexibility from workers, without the vital security ingredient.