Social Rights

The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) adopted during its 354^th session (16–18 March 2026):

• The decision on admissibility in Union nationale des footballeurs professionnels (UNFP) v. France, Complaint No. 247/2025

The complaint was registered on 1 July 2025. It relates to Articles 2 (the right to just conditions of work), 3 (the right to safe and healthy working conditions), 6 (the right to bargain collectively), 7 (the right of children and young persons to protection) and 11 (the right to protection of health) of the revised European Social Charter.

UNFP alleges that, although French regulations and case law expressly recognise professional footballers as ‘workers’ and make them subject to the provisions of the Labour Code, France does not ensure that professional footballers, and in particular professional footballers who are minors, enjoy the minimum guarantees afforded to workers in terms of just working conditions, working hours, weekly rest, annual leave, prevention of risks to their health and safety, and collective bargaining, and does not protect their health.   

The ECSR declared the complaint admissible on 16 March 2026.

• The decision on admissibility in Asociación Profesional Justicia Guardia Civil (JUCIL) v. Spain, Complaint No. 248/2025

The complaint was registered on 3 July 2025. It relates to Articles 5 (the right to organise) and 6§§ 2 and 4 (the right to bargain collectively) of the revised European Social Charter.

JUCIL alleges that members of the Spanish Guardia Civil are denied the right to organise; that the prohibition on trade union activities prevents it from participating in consultation processes or collective bargaining with public authorities; that members of the Guardia Civil and other State Security Forces and Corps are prohibited from exercising the right to strike; and that denying Guardia Civil members their trade union rights, along with the absolute prohibition on collective bargaining and strike action, is neither necessary nor proportionate within the meaning of Article G and discriminates against them in comparison with other national and European police forces, public servants and workers under the ordinary legal regime.

The ECSR declared the complaint admissible on 16 March 2026.

• The decision on admissibility in European Organisation of Military Associations and Trade Unions (EUROMIL) v. Italy, Complaint No. 252/2025

The complaint was registered on 5 September 2025. It relates to Articles 5 (the right to organise) and 6 (the right to bargain collectively) of the revised European Social Charter.  

EUROMIL alleges that Italy, by prohibiting professional military associations from engaging in trade union activities, by failing to effectively promote joint consultations and collective agreements, by failing to establish an appropriate mechanism for the settlement of labour disputes, and by prohibiting professional military associations, as workers' organisations, from exercising the right to strike, is in breach of the Charter.   

The ECSR declared the complaint admissible on 16 March 2026.

• The decision on admissibility in European Organisation of Military Associations and Trade Unions (EUROMIL) v. France, Complaint No. 253/2025

The complaint was registered on 20 October 2025. It relates to Articles 5 (the right to organise) and 6 (the right to bargain collectively) of the revised European Social Charter.  

EUROMIL alleges that France prohibits professional military associations from exercising trade union activities, that it fails to promote effective joint consultations and collective agreements, appropriate mechanisms for the settlement of labour disputes, and that it prohibits professional military associations, as workers' organisations, from exercising the right to strike, in violation of the above-mentioned provisions of the Charter.

The ECSR declared the complaint admissible on 16 March 2026.

• The decision on the merits in Comisiones Obreras de Castilla y León (CCOO CyL) and Unión General de Trabajadores de Castilla y León (UGT CyL) v. Spain, Complaint No. 228/2023

The complaint was registered on 6 June 2023. It relates to Articles 3 (the right to safe and healthy working conditions), 5 (the right to organise), 6 (the right to bargain collectively), 9 (the right to vocational guidance) and 19 (the right of migrant workers and their families to protection and assistance) of the revised European Social Charter.

The complainant trade unions allege that the removal by the Government of the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León of resources and funding for programmes run by the complainant trade unions prevents them from pursuing their activities, which include the prevention of occupational risks, the promotion of collective bargaining, the peaceful resolution of labour disputes, vocational guidance for employment, the social and occupational integration of migrant workers as well as the promotion of social dialogue, in breach of the aforementioned provisions of the Charter.

Pursuant to Article 8§2 of the Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints, this decision will not be made public until after the Committee of Ministers has adopted a resolution or a recommendation, or no later than four months after it has been transmitted to the Committee of Ministers.

• The decision on the merits in International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) and International Movement ATD - Fourth World v. Belgium, Complaint No. 233/2023

The complaint was registered on 1 December 2023. It relates to Articles 16 (the right of the family to social, legal and economic protection), 30 (the right to protection against poverty and social exclusion) and Article E (non-discrimination) in conjunction with each of the relevant provisions of the revised European Social Charter.

The complaint concerns the increasing number of municipal regulations prohibiting begging or restricting the right to beg in Belgium, stigmatising in particular persons belonging to the Roma community. The complainant organisations allege that, since there is no constitutional or legal provision enshrining the right to beg, Belgium has failed in its obligation to implement a comprehensive and coordinated approach to people forced to resort to begging and their families, who thus find themselves or risk finding themselves in a situation of persistent social exclusion or poverty, in breach of the aforementioned provisions of the Charter. 

Pursuant to Article 8§2 of the Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints, this decision will not be made public until after the Committee of Ministers has adopted a resolution or a recommendation, or no later than four months after it has been transmitted to the Committee of Ministers.