The complaint was registered on 2 June 2026. It was lodged by Fellesforbundet for Sjøfolk (FFFS).

The complainant organisation alleges that Norway is not in conformity with Article 5 (right to organise) of the European Social Charter.

In particular, the complainant organisation alleges that certain provisions of Norwegian labour legislation confer specific rights and prerogatives exclusively on trade unions exceeding a membership threshold of 10,000 members. It alleges that these provisions place smaller trade unions at a structural disadvantage and restrict workers’ freedom to join organisations of their own choosing.

The complainant organisation further alleges that the legal framework, when viewed in conjunction with institutional arrangements involving the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), results in preferential treatment of large trade unions and undermines equality between workers’ organisations. It submits that this situation hinders the effective exercise of the right to organise guaranteed by Article 5 of the Charter.

​​ Case-document No. 1, Complaint registered on 2 June 2026