From a sociological point of view, the term ‘partnership’ refers to a structural configuration characterized by the co-presence of different social subjects – state, market and third sector – and by reciprocal and collaborative social action that seeks to achieve project goals and is based on the implementation of mostly medium to long-term relations.The Italian and the Irish cases are analyzed, in order to understand experiences of social partnerships, different ways of their realization, risks or critical points and opportunities.