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The European Social Charter guarantees social and economic human rights. It was adopted in 1961 and revised in 1996. The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) is the body responsible for monitoring compliance in  States Parties.
 

[ Last update: 20/11/2009]

FOCUS 

Meeting on the Revised European Social Charter in Berlin (Germany)
<20 November 2009> A meeting will take place in Berlin on 25 November 2009 on the Revised European Social Charter. It will provide an opportunity to discuss and analyse various provisions of the Revised Charter with a view to the ratification of this treaty by Germany. This meeting will be attended by three members of the European Committee of Social Rights: Polonca KONCAR (President), Jean-Michel BELORGEY (General Rapporteur) and Monika SCHLACHTER. Régis BRILLAT, Head of Department of the European Social Charter and Henrik KRISTENSEN, Deputy Head, will also attend this meeting.
 

Invitation to attend a Round Table on the Social Rights of Persons of Concern to UNHCR
European Social Charter logo<19 November 2009> A Round Table entitled “The Social Rights of Refugees, Asylum Seekers and International Displaced Persons: a comparative perspective (1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, European Convention of Human Rights, European Social Charter)” is being organised by the UNHCR Representation to the European Institutions in Strasbourg and the Department of the European Social Charter (Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs). This event will be held in Strasbourg on 7 December 2009, Agora building, room G.01, from 2 to 5 pm. Persons interested in attending this event are welcome to register by sending an email to lobe@unhcr.org.
More information 
Background note on the colloquy
Draft programme

Seminar on the European Social Charter in Vienna (Austria)
 <10 November 2009> In the framework of the Third Summit Action Plan, a seminar on the European Social Charter took place in Vienna on 11 November 2009.  This seminar aimed to provide comprehensive information to Austrian authorities with a view to a wider application of the Charter, as well as a better understanding of the Revised Charter and the collective complaint procedure.  The seminar was attended by Mrs Csilla KOLLONAY-LEHOCZKY and Mr Petros STANGOS, members of the European Committee of Social Rights, and Mr Régis BRILLAT, Head of Department of the European Social Charter and Mr Nicolas WEVELSIEP of the Department of the European Social Chater. 
Programme

International Conference on Roma migration and freedom of movement, Vienna (Austria)
<09 November 2009> This joint event organised by the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and the OSCE (Vienna, Austria), will take place from 9-10 November 2009 in Vienna.  Mrs Gioia SCAPUCCI, Administrator in the Department of the European Social Charter will attend this conference to participate in a working group on access to health care and housing in a context of migration and freedom of movement.
Draft programme

Croatia signs the Revised European Social Charter
Signature of the Revised Charter by Croatia<06 November 2009> Ambassador Anica Djamić, Permanent Representative of Croatia to the Council of Europe, signed the Revised European Social Charter  in the presence of Maud de BOER-BUQUICCHIO.
Table of Signatures and Ratifications
 

Russia ratifies the Revised European Social CharterRatification of the Revised Charter by Russia

<16 October 2009> Ms Tatiana GOLIKOVA, Minister of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, handed to  Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the instruments of ratification of the European Social Charter revised (Entry into force on 1 December 2009 ).  At present the total number of ratifications of the Revised Charter is 29 States.
 Signatures and ratifications
Table of accepted provisions

Seminar on the Revised Charter was held in Tirana (Albania)
<5 November 2009> In the framework of the Third Summit Action Plan, a seminar on the Revised Charter was held in Tirana from 5 to 6 November 2009, with the aim of providing comprehensive information to the Albanian authorities on the Charter, its caselaw and its monitoring mechanisms, in order to bring about a wider application of this instrument.  This seminar was attended by Mrs Monika SCHLACHTER and Mrs Jarna PETMAN, members of the European Committee of Social Rights, as well as two administrators from the Department of the European Social Charter, Ms Rovena DEMIRAJ and Mr Ramón PRIETO-SUAREZ.
 Programme 

International Conference of Data Protection  and Privacy Commissioners,  Madrid (Spain), 4-6 November 2009
<4 November> This conference which is the largest forum dedicated to privacy in the world, brings together each year the highest authorities and institutions guaranteeing data protection and privacy, as well as experts in the field from every continent.  Mr Régis BRILLAT, Head of  the Department of the European Social Charter, will participate in a session on the protection of privacy in the workplace.
Programme
Conference Website

 Collective Complaints

Recent decisions on the merits
- European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) v. Bulgaria (No. 48/2008)
The Committee concluded that Bulgaria was in violation of the Revised Charter.
-  European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) v. Bulgaria (No. 46/2007)
The Committee concluded that Bulgaria was in violation of the Revised Charter.
- International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights (INTERIGHTS) v. Croatia
The Committee concluded that Croatia was in violation of the 1961 Charter.

-  Sindicato dos Magistrados do Ministério Público (SMMP) v. Portugal (No. 43/2007)
-  International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) v. Ireland (No. 42/2007)
-  European Council of Police Trade Unions (CESP) v. Portugal (No. 40/2007)
With regard to the above three complaints the Committee concluded that the States Parties were not in violation of the Revised Charter.

Recent decisions on admissibility
- Confédération Française de l’Encadrement «CFE-CGC» c. France (No. 56/2009) - admissible
 - European Council of Police Trade Unions v. France (No. 57/2009) - admissible
 - Confédération générale du travail v. France (No. 55/2008) - admissible
- European Council of Police Trade Unions (CESP) v. France (No. 54/2008) - admissible
- International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights v. Croatia (No. 52/2008) - admissible

Recent complaints
- European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)/ Centrale Générale des Syndicats Libéraux de Belgique (CGSLB)/ Confédération des Syndicats chrétiens de Belgique (CSC)/ Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique (FGTB) v. Belgium (No. 59/2009), registered on 22 June 2009.
- Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) v. Italy (No. 58/2009) registered on 29 May 2009
- European Council of Police Trade Unions (CESP) v. France (No. 57/2009) , registered on 7 May 2009
- Confédération Française de l’Encadrement (CFE-CGC) v. France (No. 56/2009), registered on 4 May 2009

Adopted text
The Committee of Ministers adopted  Resolution CM/ResChS(2009)7 with regard to the complaint International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights (INTERIGHTS) v. Croatia (no. 45/2007) on 21 October 2009.
Consult the Collective Complaint webpage for a comprehensive list of complaints and the relevant documents

Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights

Adoption of Committee of Ministers resolutions with regard to Conclusions 2007 / XVIII-2 of the European Social Charter
At the 1052nd meeting of the Ministers' Deputies, held on 25 March 2009, the Committee of Ministers adopted Resolutions CM/ResChS(2009)4 on the implementation of the European Social Charter during the period 2001-2004 (Conclusions XVIII-2, second part, “non-hard core” provisions) and CM/ResChS(2009)5 on the implementation of the European Social Charter (revised) during the period 2001-2004 (Conclusions 2007, "non-hard core" provisions).
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The conclusions for the European Social Charter (revised) and the 1961 Charter may now be consulted on line by volume and by State.
 Conclusions 2008 and XIX-1
Conclusions by State

Recent Signatures and Ratifications

Serbia ratifies the European Social Charter (revised)
Ratification of the Revised Charter by Serbia<14 September 2009> Mr Rasim LJAJIC, Minister for Labour and Social Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, handed to Maud de BOER-BUQUICCHIO the instruments of ratification of the European Social Charter (revised) (Entry into force on 1 November 2009).  

 
 Image of a signed treaty <10/06/2009> Turkey  ratifies the 1991 Protocol amending the European Social Charter (CETS No. 142)

<27/05/2009> "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" signs the European Social Charter (revised)

Table of signatures and ratifications
Accepted provisions

 Seminars, Conferences, Events

Seminars and events in 2009
Seminars and events in 2008

Next session of the European Committee of Social Rights:
7-11 December 2009
 
 Newsletter of the European Committee of Social Rights  
An electronic newsletter is now available to provide updates on the latest developments in the work of the Committee.  Consult the latest issue on line and subscribe below for future issues.
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On line publications
European Social Charter (revised), in 20 languages
The European Social Charter at a glance, in 19 languages
European Social Charter, Collected texts, 6th edition
 
ESC Factsheets by topic
New factsheet on Right to Health
Click here for additional factsheets: Children's rights, People with disabilities, Migrants' Rights, Equality between Women and Men, Right to Education.
 
ESC Case law resources
 Consult the Digest of Case law (updated as of 1 September 2008) for the interpretation of the ESC on various provisions of the Revised Charter.
Summaries of Collective Complaints, decisions on admissibility and decisions on the merits (revised editions now on line)
Search the ESC Case law database