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Activities and Events of the Charter 2009

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15-16 December 2009 Krasnodar
(Russian Federation)

<03 December 2009>  Following the recent ratification of the Revised Charter by the Russian Federation, a seminar took place in Krasnodar from 15-16 December 2009, in order to provide comprehensive information to the authorities of the Russian Federation with a view to a wider application of the European Social Charter.   Mr Colm O'CINNEIDE, Vice President of the European Committee of Social Rights and Mr Régis BRILLAT, Head of the Department of the European Social Charter attended this seminar, as well as Ms Elena VOKACH-BOLDYREVA, Department for International Cooperation, Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation.

 Programme
7 December 2009 Strasbourg UNHCR Round Table on the social rights of refugees, 07122009<08 December 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)” 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) was held in  Strasbourg on 7 December 2009.  More information 
Background note on the colloquy
Programme
Proceedings of the Round Table
25 November 2009 Berlin (Germany) A meeting on the Revised European Social Charter was organised in Berlin on the Revised European Social Charter to 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 was 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,  also attended this meeting.   
18 November 2009 Paris (France) An exchange of views was organised by the PACE Monitoring Committee on the rights of vulnerable groups
Mrs Koncar, President of the European Committee of Social Rights in Paris  with the heads of three Council of Europe human rights monitoring bodies, Mrs Polonca KONCAR, President of the European Committee of Social Rights, Alan PHILLIPS of the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and Nils MUIZNIEKS, Vice-Chair of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance. Mrs KONCAR made a statement on the role of the European Social Charter with regard to the rights of persons belonging to vulnerable groups.		 Link to PACE website
Mrs KONCAR's statement
11 November 2009 Vienna (Austria) In the framework of the Third Summit Action Plan, a seminar on the European Social Charter took place in Vienna.  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
9-10 November 2009 Vienna (Austria) The International Conference on Roma migration and freedom of movement, a joint event organised by the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and the OSCE took place 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
5 to 6 November 2009 Tirana (Albania) In the framework of the Third Summit Action Plan, a seminar on the Revised Charter was held in Tirana 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 
4-6 November 2009 Madrid (Spain)
The International Conference of Data Protection  and Privacy Commissioners  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
28-29 October 2009 Warsaw, Poland International conference on "Protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse"
 This event aimed at examining the existing tools on the international level to protect children in line with the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS No. 201).  Mr Matti MIKKOLA, former President and member of the European Committee of  Social Rights gave a presentation entitled "The Convention CETS No. 201 and the European Social Charter (revised)".
 		 Programme
Further information
19-21 October 2009 Brussels (Belgium)

In the context of  “the Civil Society Facility (CSF)”, a new strategy lauched by the Directorate General for the Enlargement of the European Commission, Mr Gerald DUNN, administrator in the Department of the European Social Charter, gave a presentation on “The European Social Charter – the protection of social human rights in Europe” with emphasis on the situation in Turkey and the Western Balkans.  This presentation was given in  on , in the context of a study tour on the theme "Combatting poverty in Europe."  The aim of the CSF is to strengthen the role of civil society in the democratic process and through its  “People 2 People programme”, support visits of representatives of civil society organisations from Turkey and the Western Balkans  to EU institutions for an exchange of know-how and experience.

Agenda
15 to 16 October 2009 Marmara (Turkey) emblem of University of Marmara A colloquy entitled  "Les droits sociaux constitutionnels et la Charte Sociale européenne" (Constitutional social rights and the European Social Charter) will be held at the University of Marmara (Turkey) from  The colloquy will be attended by Mr Rüçhan IŞIK and Mr Luis JIMENA QUESADA, members of the European Committee on Social Rights, and Mrs Isabelle CHABLAIS, administrator in the Department of the Social Charter. Mr IŞIK gave a presentation of the collective complaints procedure, Mr QUESADA spoke of  the application of the European Social Charter through domestic jurisdictions (L’application de la Charte sociale par les juridictions internes), and Mrs CHABLAIS presented the Revised European Social Charter. Programme (French only)
14 September - 9 October 2009 Paris (France) Symbole de l'ENA (Ecole Nationale d'Administration)ENA has organised a session on the theme of "Human Rights", targetting high civil servants from foreign countries.  On 6 October 2009, M. Régis BRILLAT, head of the Department of the European Social Charter, gave a presentation of the Charter. Programme (French only)
23 to 25 September 2009 Seville (Spain) Sevillian flags  A seminar was held in Seville from 23 to 25 September 2009 entitled "Derechos Sociales y Políticas Públicas en el Estatuto de Autonomía para Andalucía" (Social rights and public policies in the Autonomous Statute of Andalusia).  The main objective was to give a presentation and an analysis of the social rights set forth in the Statute of Autonomy of Andalusia to Andalusian civil servants.  Mr Luis Jimena Quesada, member of the European Committee of Social Rights, and Mr Régis BRILLAT, Head of Department of the European Social Charter attended this seminar.
Programme (Spanish only)
 21 September 2009 University of Bucarest (Romania) In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Law Faculty of the University of Bucarest, an international conference  was held on the role of European legislation in the development of social law in Romania. The conference was attended by Mr Alexandru ATHANASIU, member of the European Committee of Social Rights, and Mr Régis BRILLAT, Head of the Department of the European Social Charter.
 		 Programme (French only)
15-16 September 2009 Budapest (Hungary) In the framework of a Joint Programme in cooperation with the European Union entitled "Setting up an active network of independent non judicial human rights structures", a workshop was organised at the European Youth Center in Budapest from .   Article 23 of the Revised Charter, which guarantees the right of elderly persons to social protection, was presented by Mrs Csilla KOLLONAY-LEHOCZKY, member of the European Committee of Social Rights, and Mr Ramon PRIETO-SUAREZ, Administrator in the Department of the European Social Charter.  Draft Programme
 More information about the Joint Programme
3-4 September 2009 St Petersburg,

Russia

 Mr Régis Brillat, Head of the Department of the European Social Charter, will participate in a Round Table with  Ombudsmen of the Russian Federation.  This event has been organised by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Union, within the framework of a joint programme entitled "Setting up an active network of independent non-judicial human rights structures" Draft programme
11-12 July 2009 Batumi, Georgia Conference on "Justiciability of social rights in courts of constitutional jurisdiction and the European Court of Human Rights" Programme
26 June 2009 Paris, France Workshop on "Les droits fondamentaux : charnières entre ordres et systèmes juridiques", Colloquy  organised by the Centre de recherche sur l'Union européenne (Research Centre of the European Union), at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne Programme
(French only)
23-24 June 2009 Baku, Azerbaijan Meeting on non-accepted provisions, Baku (Azerbaijan), 22-23 June 2009In the framework of the procedure for the implementation of Article 22, a meeting on non-accepted provisions was held in Baku,  with the aim of ensuring the effectiveness of fundamental social rights in Azerbaijan.  This meeting was attended by two members of the European Committee of Social Rights, Ms Csilla KOLLONAY LEHOCZKY and Ms Jarna PETMAN, as well as two administrators from the Department of the European Social Charter, Mr Henrik KRISTENSEN, Deputy Head of Department, and Mr Gerald DUNN. Programme
16-17 June 2009 Vienna, Austria Mrs Csilla KOLLONAY LEHOCZKY, member of the European Committee of Social Rights, and Mr Régis BRILLAT, Head of the Department of the European Social Charter attended the 29th session of the Conference of Ministers responsible for family affairs, in Vienna on 16 and 17 June 2009.  The theme of the conference is "Public policies supporting the wish to have children: societal, economic and personal factors". More information on the Conference
7-9 May 2009 Krakow, Poland   Messers Andrzej SWIATKOWSKI, Vice President of the European Committee of Social Rights, and Régis BRILLAT, Head of the Department of the European Social Charter attended the XVIIth Congress on Labour Law and Social Security held at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. Programme
6 May 2009 Bucharest, Romania Picture of the participants at the Meeting on non accepted provisions in BucharestIn the framework of the Article 22 procedure, in order to promote the implementation of the Revised Social Charter in Romania, a seminar was held in Bucharest on 6 May 2009.  This meeting was attended by Messers Alexandru ATHANASIU and  Luis JIMENA QUESADA, members of the European Committee of Social Rights, and Mrs Isabelle CHABLAIS-FABRIZZI and Mr Nicolas WEVELSIEP, of the Department of the European Social Charter. Programme
28-29 April 2009 Donetsk, Ukraine A workshop was held on 28 and 29 April 2009 in Donetsk (Ukraine) organised by the Council of Europe with the aim of discussing  international standards and practical instruments for implementing gender equality. Special attention was given to a human rights approach to gender equality. The workshop aimed to increase the knowledge by public officials of the European Social Charter (revised) and other international standards.  More information
28 April 2009 Valencia, Spain  Members of ECSR received by Her Excellency, María Milagrosa Martínez Navarro, speaker of the Valencian Parliament on 28 April 2009Her Excellency María Milagrosa Martínez Navarro, speaker of the Valencian Parlament, met with several members of the European Committee of Social Rights, as well as several administrators of the department of the European Social Charter who were in Valencia to participate in an international seminar on social rights.  
27-28 April 2009 Valencia, Spain A two-day international Seminar on Recent Developments in Social Rights in Europe was held at the Law Faculty of the University of Valencia, Spain from 27-28 April 2009.  This seminar  included contributions by Mrs Poloncar KONCAR, President of the European Committee of Social Rights, and by two Committee members, Messers Luis JIMENA-QUESADA and Colm O'CINNEIDE, as well as two administrators from the Department of the European Social Charter,  Messers Régis BRILLAT, Head of the Department of the European Social Charter, and Ramon PRIETO-SUAREZ.  Programme (Spanish only)
21-26  April 2009 Torino and Aosta, Italy <23 April 2009>  Mr Luis JIMENA-QUESADA, member of the European Committee of Social Rights, spoke of "La justiciabilité des droits sociaux dans la Charte et la CEDH" (Justifiability of social rights in the Charter and the ECHR), at an international Colloquy on the European Convention of Human Rights, held in Torino and Aosta, Italy (21-26 April 2009).   Programme
3 April 2009 Bern, Switzerland Mrs Isabelle CHABLAIS-FABRIZZI, administrator in the department of the European Social Charter, participated in a panel discussion on the implementation of the Social Charter in Switzerland which took place during a workshop entitled "La Suisse et les droits sociaux : des garanties juridiques à la réalité sociale" (Switzerland and social rights: from legal guarantees to social reality).  Programme (French-German only)
4-5 March 2009. Kyiv, Ukraine  Ms Csilla KOLLONAY LEHOCZKY, member of the European Committee of Social Rights, and Mr Matti MIKKOLA, former President of the Committee,  participated in a training course for key actors on the gender equality standards of the Revised European Social Charter, in Kyiv This training course forms part of a new joint project between the Council of Europe and the European Union on strengthening and protecting women's and children's  rights in Ukraine. Further information on the project
26-27 February Moscow, Russian Federation First Conference of European Ministers responsible for Social Cohesion in Moscow,  attended by Mrs Polonca KONČAR, President of the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) and Mrs Maria Alexandra PIMENTA, First Vice Chairwoman of the Governmental Committee, and Mr Regis Brillat, Head of the Department of  the European Social Charter. File on the Conference
 Final declaration
 Statement by Mrs KONČAR
Statement by Mrs PIMENTA
20 February Bratislava, Slovakia, International Conference:  Solidarity of the Society at the time of the Global Financial Crisis, held in Bratisalva, attended by Mr Christos Giakoumopoulos, Director of Monitoring, Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs. Programme
Speech
19-20 February Strasbourg, France A second study session for lawyers was organised by
the Council of Europe (Roma and Travellers Division and Department of the European Social Charter).  This training session is addressed to persons involved in providing legal assistance to Roma and Traveller communities under the collective complaints procedure of the European Social Charter. The primary aim is to provide participants with practical information on how to lodge a complaint before the European Committee of Social Rights, in order to defend Roma and Traveller communities’ social rights. 		Programme
3 February 2009
Brussels, Belgium		 Seminar on non accepted provisions of the Revised Charter Programme (French only)