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The European Social Charter is a Council of Europe treaty which guarantees social and economic human rights. It was adopted in 1961 and revised in 1996.
The European Committee of Social Rights rules on the conformity of the situation in States with the European Social Charter, the 1988 Additional Protocol and the Revised European Social Charter.

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A seminar on “Social security systems” in Moldova

[14/06/2013] In the framework of the Council of Europe Programme "Confidence Building Measures across the Nistru/Dnestr River" a seminar will be held on social security systems in Vadul-lui-Voda, Moldova, on 18 June 2013. Two members of the European Committee of Social Rights, Mr. Lauri Leppik and Ms Eliane Chemla, will participate in this seminar, as well as Ms Niamh Casey, adminstrator in the Department of European Social Charter. Programme

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) v. Greece, Complaint No. 72/2011
Pollution of the Asopos River in Greece: the right to protection of health is not ensured.

[05/06/2013] The decision on the merits adopted by the European Committee on Social Rights in the case International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) v. Greece (No. 72/2011) became public and is now available on line. The case concerns the effects of massive environmental pollution on the health of persons living near the Asopos River and near the industrial area of Oinofyta, located 50 km north of Athens. Decision on the merits No.72/2011 Summary of the decision on the merits (more information)

Hearing of the Conference of INGOs at the Governmental Committee of the European Social Charter and the European Code of Social Security

[31/05/2013] A Hearing of the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (Conference of INGOs) represented by Mrs Marie-José Schmitt, Vice-President of the Conference’s Human Rights Committee and Mr Philippe Grolleau of the INGO, PAX ROMANA, took place on Wednesday, 29 May 2013, at the 127th meeting of the Governmental Committee. The INGO representatives presented the Declaration of the Conference “Building Europe through Human Rights: Acting together against Extreme Poverty” (Strasbourg, 17 October 2012), endorsed by the Presidents of the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe, marking the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. During the Hearing, the INGO representatives also expressed deep concern over threats to social protection in Europe (“La protection sociale en danger en Europe”) and made a presentation highlighting the importance of provisions in the European Social Charter to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

Vienna at 20, reviewing strategies for social justice

[28/05/2013] The 20th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action was an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in implementing economic, social and cultural rights over the past two decades, and the challenges faced today by the global human rights movement in a markedly changed economic and geopolitical context.  This anniversary provides an occasion to bring together leading figures in the field of economic, social and cultural rights activism and practice for a two day meeting held in Geneva from 29-30 May 2013 entitled “Vienna at 20: Renewing strategies for economic and social justice”. Henrik Kristensen, Deputy Head of the Department of the European Social participated in this event.   Programme  Conference web site

Exchange of views with the President of the Court, Mr. Dean Spielmann

[14/05/2013] The European Committee of Social Rights held an exchange of views with Mr. Dean Spielmann, President of the European Court of Human Rights. Mr. Spielmann emphasised the indivisibility of human rights and the complementarity between the Court and the Committee, maintaining that both mechanisms are necessary to guarantee the protection of human rights. Views were exchanged on a wide range of topics, including recent developments pertaining to the Convention and the Charter, the future of social rights protection under both instruments, the impact of austerity measures taken by the States Parties and relations with the European Union and other international bodies. Mr. Spielmann expressed his hope that the dialogue between the Court and the Committee could continue and develop further in the future and he looked forward to resuming the exchanges on an annual basis.  Mr. Spielmann's speech

European Committee of Social Rights

Session of the European Committee of Social Rights in StrasbourgThe 265th session of the Committee will be held from 1 to 5 July 2013.






The Committee's activity report for 2012 is on line.

Conclusions 2012 of the European Committee of Social Rights are public

It is now possible to consult Conclusions 2012 and Conclusions XX-1 (2012) by State Party.   (more information) 

The Committee of Ministers adopts two resolutions with regard to Conclusions 2011 et Conclusions XIX-4 (2011)

Resolution CM/Res/ChS (2013) 4 concerning the application of the 1961 European Social Charter (Conclusions XIX-4 (2011) and Resolution CM/Res/ChS(2013)5 concerning the application of the European Social Charter (revised), were adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 27 March 2013 at the 1166th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies. These conclusions concern provisions relating to "Children, families, migrants".

Collective Complaints

The decision on admissibilty of the complaint Finnish Society of Social Rights v. Finland,  No. 88/2012 has been adopted

[22/05/2013] The European Committee of Social Rights has adopted the decision on admissibility of the complaint Finnish Society of Social Rights v. Finland, No. 88/2012.  In this complaint, the complainant organisation alleges that Finland has not maintained the social security at a satisfactory level. (more information)  Decision on admissibility  Collective complaints website

The European Committee of Social Rights to examine Collective Complaint number 100

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) v. Ireland, Complaint No. 100/2013

[16/05/2013] The complaint, registered on 16 April 2013, concerns housing conditions and evictions of Travellers in Ireland, and alleges violations of articles of the European Social Charter which guarantee social, legal and economic protection.  Complaint No. 100/2013  Collective complaints website (read more)

Brochure on the collective complaints procedure

For more information please consult the Collective Complaints website

Recent events

Essay competition organised by ELSA on "Biotechnology and health care"

[22/05/2013]ELSA, the European Law Students’ Association, organised an essay competition on the topic “Biotechnology and health care”. The right to the protection of health is guaranteed in Article 11 of the European Social Charter. The three best awarded essays are published here. Essay by Horiana Secara Essay by Zeynap Alkan Essay by Lenka Misova
(The opinions expressed in the essays are not necessarily those of the Council of Europe.)

Meeting on the European Social Charter held in Ankara, Turkey

[03/05/2013] A meeting was held in Ankara on 6 May 2013, in order to provide information on the provisions of the Charter not yet accepted by Turkey.  This meeting was attended by two members of the European Committee of Social Rights, Prof. Luis Jimena Quesada, President of the Committee, and Mr. Ruchan Isik, as well as Mr. Régis Brillat, Head of the Department of the European Social Charter. Programme

Luis Jimena Quesada, President of the European Committee of Social Rights participated in the 6th Fundamental Rights Platform Meeting in Vienna

[24/04/2013] The 6th Fundamental Rights Platform Meeting, organised by the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union, is being held in Vienna from 25 to 26 April 2013. This platform brings together participants in the agency’s network for cooperation as well as over 300 civil society organisations working on a variety of fundamental rights. On this occasion Prof. Luis Jimena Quesada, President of the European Committee of Social Rights, presented the collective complaint procedure.Prof. Jimena Quesada's speech Programme FRA website

 ENSACT Joint European Conference in Istanbul  - Social Action in Europe

[22/04/2013] The 3rd ENSACT Joint European Conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 16 to 19 April 2013. This conference focussed on the theme "Social action in Europe: towards inclusive policy and practice". Mr Régis Brillat, Head of the Department of the European Social Charter, was a key speaker at this event.
Programme ENSACT website

A conference on human rights in Berlin:  Human rights are – and remain–indivisible!

 This is the programme of the conference which was held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Conference on Human Rights (Wien+20), which took place on 15 and 16 April 2013 at Berlin, Germany. Mr Florent Duplouy, from the Department of the European Social Charter and the European Code of Social Security, took part in the event, which was organised jointly by Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte and Forum Menschenrechte.   Programme  Site Wien+20

See also

Complaints by year

 2013 | 2012 | 2011| 2010

  Collective complaints website

The Charter in the field

2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007


Calendar of Events for the 50th anniversary Interviews and Multimedia documents 2011

Theme factsheets

Roma rights
Migrant's rights
Children's rights
  Rights of people with disabilities
Right to education
Right to health
Equality between women and men

National reports Conclusions 2013

The Committee is currently examining national reports covering Charter rights related to health, social security and social protection. The deadline for submitting reports was 31/10/2012. (more information)

Reports have been submitted by the following States : Albania, Armenia, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Romania,  Russian Federation Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom.
 

Newsletter of the Committee
The March 2013 issue is now available
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The Revised Charter exists in 21 languages



The Social Charter at a glance
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Recent developments in the collective complaints procedure of the European Social Charter



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