Council of Europe - European Social Charter

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.

FOCUS

Workshop on social justice dealt with in European courts to be held in the Sorbonne
[10/02/2012] A workshop, organised by the Institut de recherche en droit international et européen de la Sorbonne, entitled "La justice sociale saisie par les juges en Europe" will be held in Paris today. Luis Jimena Quesada will give a presentation on social justice in Spanish constitutional caselaw.

Programme

Luis Jimena Quesada to participate in a colloquy on social law in Toulouse
[09/02/2012] A colloquy entitled Pluralisme des sources et "dialogue des juges" en droit social will take place at the University of Toulouse sponsored by the Association Française de Droit du travail in collaboration with the Council of Europe. Mr Luis Jimena Quesada, President of the European Committee of Social Rights, will give a presentation on the effectiveness of social law and judicial will in Europe.

Programme

Restrictions imposed on the activity of strike pickets constitute a violation of the Charter in Belgium
[08/02/2012] In its decision on the merits with regard to the case European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Centrale Générale des Syndicats Libéraux de Belgique (CGSLB), Confédération des Syndicats chrétiens de Belgique (CSC) and Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique (FGTB) v. Belgium, No. 59/2009, which became public today, the European Committee rules that Belgium is not in conformity with Article 6§4 (right to strike) of the Revised Charter (more information)

Summary of Complaint No. 59/2009

A message from the President following the ratification of the Revised Charter by "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"

[03/02/2012] Mr. Luis Jimena Quesada, President of the European Committee of Social Rights, has expressed his satisfaction at the ratification of the Revised Charter by "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", making it the 32nd State Party to this Council of Europe treaty which safeguards social rights. (more information)

Five complaints have been submitted against Greece concerning a reduction of pension schemes
[26/01/2012] The following complaints against Greece were registered on 2 January 2012 and relate to Greek legislation imposing a reduction of pension schemes in both the private and public sectors:

Federation of employed pensioners of Greece (IKA –ETAM), Complaint No. 76/2012

Panhellenic Federation of Public Service Pensioners, Complaint No. 77/2012

Pensioners’ Union of the Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways (I.S.A.P.), Complaint No. 78/2012

Panhellenic Federation of pensioners of the public electricity corporation (POS-DEI), Complaint No. 79/2012

Pensioners’ Pensioner’s Union of the Agricultural Bank of Greece (ATE), Complaint No. 80/2012
The complainant trade unions allege that the laws imposing a reduction of pensions were passed in violation of Articles 12§3 (Right to social security) and 31§1 (Right to housing) of the Charter of 1961.

Collective complaints website

"The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" ratifies the Revised Charter
[25/01/2012] Following the ratification of the Revised Charter by "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", 32 of the 43 States Parties to the European Social Charter are now bound by the Revised Charter. The "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" ratified the Revised Charter on 6 January 2012 accepting 60 of its 98 provisions. The instrument will enter into force on 1 March 2012. Table of accepted provisions

The President of the Committee is interviewed on the publication of Conclusions 2012

Mr Luis Jimena Quesada, President of the European Committee of Social Rights gives background information on the Charter rights covered in Conclusions 2012 in an effort to shed light on the workings of the Charter. Interview

The Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights for 2011 are public
[24/01/2011] It is now possible to consult Conclusions 2011 and Conclusions XIX-4 (2011) by State Party. These conclusions contain the assessments of the European Committee of Social Rights on the application of the Charter with regard to rights pertaining to children, family and migrants. (more information) Conclusions by State General Introductions 2011 and XIX-4 (2011)
Press file
The country factsheets are in the process of being updated.

European Committee of Social Rights

The 257th session of the European Committee of Social Rights will be held in Strasbourg from 19 to 23 March 2012.

Reporting system

The Committee to examine Charter rights relating to employment, training and equal opportunities in view of Conclusions 2012
States Parties will report on Articles 1, 9, 10, 15, 18, 20, 24 and 25 which concern Charter rights related to employment, training and equal opportunities.

It is already possible to consult reports online for the following countries : Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, France, Gemany, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Collective Complaints

Five decisions on admissiblity have been adopted by the European Committee of Social Rights
[15/01/2012] The European Committee of Social Rights adopted five decisions on admissibility at its December session on 7 December 2011 with regard to the following complaints:

Defence for Children - International (DCI) v. Belgium, Complaint no. 69/2011 concerning foreign children living accompanied or not, as either illegal residents or asylum seekers in Belgium, currently alleged to be excluded from social assistance (more)

Decision on admissibility

Association of Care Giving Relatives and Friends v. Finland, Complaint no. 70/2011 concerning the situation of family and friend caregivers in Finland (more)

Decision on admissibility

Association of Care Giving Relatives and Friends v. Finland, Complaint no. 71/2011, concerning the cost of caring for the elderly in municipal nursing homes.(more)

Decision on admissibility

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) v. Greece, Complaint No. 72/2011 which concerns the effects of massive environmental pollution on the health of persons living near the Asopos river and the industrial area of Inofyta, located 50 km north of Athens. (more)

Decision on admissibility

Syndicat de Défense des Fonctionnaires v. France, Complaint No. 73/2011 concerning the situation of so-called " redeployed” civil servants, employed by France Télécom and La Poste, who have remained at the grades of the former Post and Telecommunications service. (more)

Decision on admissibility

[06/01/2012] The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) has lodged a complaint against Belgium, registered on 13 December 2011 under number 75/2011, concerning the situation of highly dependent adults with disabilities. (more information)

Complaint No. 75/2011

Collective Complaint Web site

Collective complaints 2011

Collective complaints website