The social market economy has become synonymous with the German “economic miracle” and in the anniversary year 2009 it remains present in election programmes. At the same time, the concept stands unrelated to the sustainable development paradigm. In the SEF Policy Paper 31, “From a Social to a Sustainable Market Economy – a new paradigm for the 21st century”, Michael von Hauff, Professor of Economics at the University of Kaiserslautern, portrays the core elements of both models. In reference to the sustainability strategy adopted by the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, he considers how the integration of a social market economy and sustainable development can be achieved. SEF Policy Paper 31 is available in English and German. http://www.sef-bonn.org/de/publikationen/index.php