France ratified the European Social Charter on 09/03/1973 and the Revised European Social Charter on 07/05/1999, accepting all of its 98 paragraphs.  

It accepted the 1995 Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints on 07/05/1999, but has not yet made a declaration enabling national NGOs to submit collective complaints.
 

The Charter in domestic law

Under Article 55 of the Constitution: "Treaties or agreements regularly ratified or approved have, from the time of publication, an authority superior to that of laws, provided, in the case of each agreement or treaty, that it is applied by the other party." 


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.

France factsheet


Latest Ad hoc report by France

See previous reports in respect of France


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

See previous all conclusions in respect of France (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 France.


Table of accepted and non-accepted provisions by France

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  

Collective complaints procedure

France accepted the 1995 Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints on 07/05/1999, but has not yet made a declaration enabling national NGOs to submit collective complaints.

Back No. 155/2017 Confédération générale du travail (CGT) v. France

The complaint was registered on 28 July 2017. It relates to article 6§4 (the right to bargain collectively – collective action). The CGT alleges that the so-called rule of indivisible thirtieth (which means that any absence from work during a day leads to a salary deduction of an amount equal to a thirtieth part of a monthly salary, each month being deemed to contain 30 days) provided by law 87-588 of 30 July 1987, which applies to strikes less than one day in the public service entails an unjustified violation of the right to strike of public officials.

 Case document No. 1, Complaint registered on 28 July 2017

 Case document No. 2, Submissions by the Government on the merits (French only)

The European Committee of Social Rights declared the complaint admissible on 23 January 2018.

 Decision on admissibility of the Complaint No. 155/2017 

 Decision on the merits of the Complaint No. 155/2017

 Recommendation CM/RecChS(2023)2 of the Committee of Ministers on 6 September 2023 


Previous national reports by France