Portugal
Portugal ratified the European Social Charter on 30/09/1991and the Revised European Social Charter on 30/05/2002, accepting all of its 98 paragraphs.
It accepted the Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints on 20/03/1998, but has not yet made a declaration enabling national NGOs to submit collective complaints.
The Charter in domestic law
Under Article 8§2 of the Constitution: “Rules provided for in international conventions duly ratified or approved, following their official publication, apply in municipal law as long as they remain internationally binding with respect to the Portuguese State.”
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.
Latest Ad hoc report by Portugal
See previous reports in respect of Portugal
Latest conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR)
- Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights 2022 concerning Portugal (Thematic group Labour rights)
- Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights 2020 concerning Portugal (Thematic group Employment, training and equal opportunities)
- Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights 2019 concerning Portugal (Thematic group Children, families and migrants)
- Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights 2017 concerning Portugal (Thematic group Health, social security and social protection)
See all conclusions in respect of Portugal (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 Portugal.
Table of accepted and non-accepted provisions by Portugal
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
- Seminar on the European Social Charter organised by the Secretariat of the European Social Charter and the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity of Portugal. Lisbon, 8th January 2008
Collective complaints procedure
Portugal accepted the Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints on 20/03/1998, but has not yet made a declaration enabling national NGOs to submit collective complaints
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 Portugal 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, Submissions by the Government on the merits
Case-document no. 3, Observations by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Case-document no.4, Response of the UWE to the Government's submissions on the merits (French only)
Case-document no.5, Further response from the Government on the merits
Case-document no.6, Observations by EQUINET
Case-document no. 7, Observations by the European Commission
The European Committee of Social Rights declared the complaint admissible on 4 July 2017.
Decision on admissibility of Complaint 136/2016
Decision on the merits of Complaint 136/2016
Recommendation CM/RecChS(2021)13 of the Committee of Ministers of 17 March 2021
Previous national reports by Portugal
- 18th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2018-31/12/2021).
- 17th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2017-31/12/2020). Conclusions published in 2022
- 16th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2016-31/12/2019). Conclusions published in 2021
- 15th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2015-31/12/2018). Conclusions published in 2020
- 14th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2014-31/12/2017. Conclusions published in 2019
- 13th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2013-31/12/2016. Conclusions published in 2018
- 12th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2012 - 31/12/2015). Conclusions published in 2017
- 11th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2011 - 31/12/2014). Conclusions published in 2016
- 10th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2010 - 31/12/2013). Conclusions published in 2015
- 9th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2009 - 31/12/2013). Conclusions published in 2014
Comments from Conseil Européen des Syndicats de Police on the 9th report - 8th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2008 - 31/12/2012). Conclusions published in 2013
- 7th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2007 - 31/12/2010). Conclusions published in 2012
- 6th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2005 - 31/12/2009). Conclusions published in 2011
- 5th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2005 - 31/12/2008). Conclusions published in 2010
- 4th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (Reference Period: 01/01/2005 - 31/12/2007). Conclusions published in 2009
- 3rd National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Portugal (en and fr) (Reference Period: 01/01/2005 - 31/12/2006 and 01/01/2003 - 31/12/2005). Conclusions published in 2008