Back No. 185/2019 European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) v. Belgium

The complaint was registered on 12 July 2019. It concerns Article E read in conjunction with 1§2 (the right to work), 11§1 (the right to protection of health), 12§1 (the right to social security), 13§1 (the right to social and medical assistance), 15§3 (the right of persons with disabilities to independence, social integration and participation in the life of the community), 16 (the right of the family to social, legal and economic protection) and 17 (the right of children and young persons to social, legal and economic protection). ERRC argued that a massive and disproportionate police operation targeting 19 halting sites for Travellers was carried out in Belgium on 7 May 2019 with the aim of seizing caravans, cars, and other property from many Travellers under the assumption that all Travellers across the country were involved in a criminal activity. The CEDR alleges that the Belgian authorities failed to take into account individual circumstances or health consequences when seizing the property and freezing the bank accounts of those Traveller families concerned by this complaint in breach of the above-mentioned provisions of the Charter.

 Case document No. 1, Complaint registered on 12 July 2019

 Case document No. 2, Observations by the Government on admissibility and request for immediate measures (French only)

 Case document No. 3, Response from the ERRC to the Government's observations on admissibility and request for immediate measures

 Case document No. 4, Further response from the Government on admissibility and request for immediate measures (French only)

 Case document No. 5, Submissions from the Government on the merits (French only)

 Case document No. 6, Response by the ERRC to the Government's submissions on the merits

 Case document No. 7, Further response from the Government (French only)

The European Committee of Social Rights declared the complaint admissible on 14 May 2020 and decided to indicate immediate measures.

 Decision on admissibility and on immediate measures of the Complaint No. 185/2019

 Decision on the merits of the Complaint No. 185/2019 

 Recommendation CM/RecChS(2023)5 adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 18 October 2023

 

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Department of Social Rights

Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law
Council of Europe
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