The paper analyses the application of the European and Italian policies of flexibility and flexicurity, showing their inadequacy to guarantee a just balance between the firms need of flexibility and the stability of employment. It examines the change of policy adopted with the NGEU finalised to promote a just transition to sustainable development and employment. It argues that the success of this transition requires an innovative approach in economic and labor policies: in particular more investments in continuous training for reskilling and upskilling workers affected by the transitions, support for the relocation of the same workers ,effective use of the NGEU funds to promote employment, particularly of women and youngsters, selective universalism in labor and welfare provisions with the aim of fighting inequality, precariousness and the fragmentation of work.