The decision of the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) on the merits in Finish Society of Social Rights v. Finland, Complaint No. 172/2018 became public on 15 February 2023.
In its complaint, the Finnish Society of Social Rights alleged that the minimum level of several social security and social assistance benefits and the labour market subsidy fall short of the requirements of the Revised European Social Charter, in breach of Articles 12§§1 and 3 (right to social security) and 13§1 (right to social and medical assistance) of the Charter. In particular, the complainant organisation claimed that during the years 2015-2018 the Government of Finland introduced significant cuts to social security and social assistance benefits and with these measures caused a worsening of the economic situation of low-income citizens.
The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) adopted its decision on the merits on 14 September 2022.
In its decision on the merits, the ECSR concluded
- unanimously that there is a violation of Article 12§1 of the Charter;
- unanimously that there is no violation of Article 12§3 of the Charter;
- unanimously that there is a violation of Article 13§1 of the Charter.
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