Belgium ratified the European Social Charter on 16/10/1990 and the Revised European Social Charter on 02/03/2004, accepting 87 of the Revised Charter’s 98 paragraphs.

In June 2015 Belgium accepted to be bound by 4 additional provisions (Articles 26§2, 27§1, 27§2 and 28 of the Revised Charter), bringing the total of accepted provisions to 91 of the 98 paragraphs.

It accepted the Additional Protocol of 1995 providing for a system of collective complaints on 23/06/2003, but has not yet made a declaration enabling national NGOs to submit collective complaints.
 

The Charter in domestic law

Automatic incorporation into domestic law based on case-law (Le Ski judgment, Court of Cassation, 27 May 1971).
 


Country factsheets

The country factsheets include detailed information on the findings of the European Committee of Social Rights when monitoring the application of the Charter at national level, as well as examples of progress in the implementation of the rights protected by the Charter.

Belgium factsheet


Latest Ad hoc report by Belgium

See previous reports in respect of Belgium


Latest conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR)

See previous all conclusions in respect of Belgium (HUDOC)


Latest findings of the European Committee of Social Rights

Findings 2019 of the European Committee of Social Rights on the follow-up to decisions on the merits in collective complaints in respect of Belgium.


Table of accepted and nonaccepted provisions by Belgium

Grey = Accepted provisions

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 3.1
3.2 3.3 3.4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 5 6.1 6.2 6.3
6.4 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 7.10 8.1
8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 9 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 11.1 11.2
11.3 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 14.1 14.2 15.1
15.2 15.3 16 17.1 17.2 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 19.1 19.2 19.3
19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 19.8 19.9 19.10 19.11 19.12 20 21 22
23 24 25 26.1 26.2 27.1 27.2 27.3 28 29 30 31.1
31.2 31.3  

 

Meetings and reports on non-accepted provisions

Collective complaints procedure

Belgium accepted the Additional Protocol of 1995 providing for a system of collective complaints on 23/06/2003, but has not yet made a declaration enabling national NGOs to submit collective complaints.

Back No. 124/2016 University Women of Europe (UWE) v. Belgium

The complaint was registered on 24 August 2016 and relates to Articles 1(Right to work), 4§3 (Right to a fair remuneration - non-discrimination between women and men with respect to remuneration) and 20 (Right to equal opportunities and treatment in employment and occupation without sex discrimination) in conjunction with Article E (non-discrimination) of the Revised European Social Charter. The organisation complains that Belgium fails to observe the principle of equal pay for women and men for equal, similar or comparable work in breach of the above-mentioned provisions.

 Case-document no. 1, Complaint registered on 24 August 2016

 Case-document no. 2, Observations by the Government on admissibility (French only)

 Case-document no. 3, Response from the University Women of Europe to the Government's observations on admissibility (French only)

 Case-document no. 4, Further response of the Government to the observations of the University Women of Europe on admissibility (French only)

Case-document no. 5, Submissions by the Governement on the merits (French only)

 Case-document no. 6, Observations by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)

 Case-document no. 7, Response from the UWE to the Government's submissions on the merits (French only)

 Case-document no. 8, Further response from the Government on the merits (French only)

 Case-document no. 9, Observations by EQUINET

 Case-document no. 10, Observations by the European Commission

The European Committee of Social Rights declared the complaint admissible on 4 July 2017.

 Decision on admissibility of Complaint 124/2016

 Decision on the merits of Complaint 124/2016

 Recommendation CM/RecChS(2021)1 of the Committee of Ministers of 17 March 2021


 Previous national reports by Belgium

Revised European Social Charter

1961 Charter