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. 175/2019 Syndicat CFDT de la métallurgie de la Meuse v. France

The complaint was registered on 31 January 2019. It relates to Article 24 (the right to protection in case of dismissal) of the Revised European Social Charter. The union CFDT de la métallurgie de la Meuse alleges that the provisions of the Law of 13 July 1973 and the Order No. 2017-1387 of 22 September 2017, as inserted in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article L 1235-3 of the Labour Code, are in breach of Article 24 of the Charter both on the issue of the adequate compensation in case of unfair dismissal and on the issue of the right to reinstatement.

 Case Document No. 1, Complaint registered on 31 January 2019

 Case Document No. 2, Observations by the Government on admissibility (French only)

 Case Document No. 3, Response from the complainant trade union to the Government's observations on admissibility (French only)

 Case Document No. 4, Further response by the Government on admissibility (French only)

 Case Document No. 5, Government's submissions on the merits (French only)

The European Committee of Social Rights declared the complaint admissible on 28 January 2020.

Decision on admissibility of Complaint No. 175/2019

 Decision on the merits of Complaint No. 175/2019

 Recommendation CM/RecChS(2023)3 adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 6 September 2023


Previous national reports by France