On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, the Council of Europe and Social Platform will co-host a roundtable event in Brussels, on 12 December 2024, addressing the critical need to advance social rights across Europe. The event entitled "Social Rights are Human Rights: The European Social Charter and the European Pillar of Social Rights" will bring together government, social partners, academia, civil society representatives, and key institutional figures.
The discussions will focus on enhancing the synergies between the European Social Charter and the European Pillar of Social Rights, particularly in light of the Council of Europe's Vilnius Declaration and the European Union's La Hulpe Declaration. The event also anticipates the European Commission's forthcoming Action Plan for implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights in 2025 and will contribute to boosting the acceptance of the Charter’s provisions in the EU and candidate member states, in particular in the areas covered by the relevant EU directives and policies.
Keynote speakers include Aoife Nolan, President of the European Committee of Social Rights, Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Heather Roy, President of the Social Platform, Olivier de Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Ambassador Andriy Zayats, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Brussels, and Denis Genton, Director of the European Social Pillar at the European Commission.
The discussion at the event will also explore the possibility of a common message to be addressed to the 2nd World Summit for Social Development (Doha, November 2025), reaffirming the unwavering commitment to promoting a rights-based approach to social justice, social protection and social development.
The event underscores the importance of cross-institutional collaboration and highlights the collective responsibility of European bodies, governments, civil society, and social partners to strengthen social rights, ensuring their rightful place at the core of European policy-making.