Opening Address by Mr. Gianluca Esposito, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe
Event: Social Rights – Building Social Justice and Democratic Stability
Brussels, 5 June 2025
Venue: EESC, Room JDE 52, 5th floor, Jacques Delors building, Rue Belliard 99-101, 1040 Brussels
Time: 10:00 (registration from 9:00-10:00)
Opening and Welcome: Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guests, colleagues and friends, it is a great pleasure to welcome you today to this important event organised by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Economic and Social Committee. In that regard, I would first of all like to extend my sincere appreciation to the European Economic and Social Committee (President RÖPKE) for hosting this event in these premises.
Emphasise the timeliness of the event: Today, we are gathered at a pivotal moment. Across Europe and beyond, we are witnessing unprecedented challenges—rising social inequalities, democratic backsliding, climate change exacerbated by the Russia’s war against Ukraine and a cost-of-living crisis. These challenges not only test our institutions—they test our values. And in doing so, they call for a renewed commitment to the principles that bind us together: human dignity, solidarity, and justice.
Emphasise that social rights are human rights: Both the Council of Europe’s Reykjavik and Vilnius Declarations reaffirm the indivisibility of human rights, social rights are human rights on an equal footing with civil and political rights. Recognising social rights as human rights affirms their universal, indivisible, and interdependent nature, aligning with global frameworks like the Vienna Declaration and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The European Social Charter, which is the counterpart to the European Convention on Human Rights and widely regarded as Europe’s “social constitution” provides the most comprehensive framework of social rights and their protection mechanism.
Highlight that social justice is essential for democratic stability and security: The Council of Europe's Reykjavik Declaration highlights that implementing the rights enshrined in the Charter—such as right to decent housing, access to education, healthcare, fair employment conditions —fosters social cohesion and reduces inequality.
They are not optional add-ons to our democracies—they are core foundations. They are legal obligations laid down by the Charter which build societal resilience, particularly during crises like economic downturns or armed conflicts. Failure to deliver on social rights leads to disillusionment and distrust in democratic processes, paving the way for populist and authoritarian demagogues.
It is undisputable that social justice strengthens the very fabric of democracy. It fosters trust in public institutions and counteracts polarisation. It creates communities in which every person, especially the young, can believe in a future of inclusion and fairness.
Recall the Council of Europe’s vision: This is why today, the Council of Europe calls for a “new democratic pact”—one that places social rights at the centre of democratic resilience.
But for this to happen, we must move beyond declarations. We must build real bridges—between social (human) rights and social development; between policy and practice; between European frameworks and global agendas.
In this vein, the Council of Europe will organise the second High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter on 18-19 March 2026 in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. The event will gather Ministers responsible for social rights and other key stakeholders from across Europe to reaffirm their commitment to social rights, assess progress on Charter reform, and confront emerging social challenges.
Highlight the importance of today’s event: In this light, today’s event is highly important. It brings together critical actors—from national authorities, EU institutions, civil society and international partners—to deepen our shared commitment and explore concrete strategies. As we look ahead to the UN Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha later this year, this is our moment to align efforts, elevate ambitions, and deliver on promises made.
Today we will discuss how to reinforce social rights within the human rights framework. We will discuss the role of youth, local and regional authorities, social partners, civil society and financial institutions in fostering social justice. We will see that integrating social rights into development strategies is essential for achieving the SDGs. And we will reaffirm, together, that social rights are not a cost, but the investment that democracy demands.
Concluding remarks: Ladies and Gentlemen, let me conclude with a simple idea that guides our work in the Council of Europe: democracy without a robust guarantee of social rights is not only fragile, but not possible. Human dignity without social justice is incomplete.
Our goal is to align frameworks, increase visibility, mobilise political will and accelerate progress toward universal enjoyment of social rights, coherent and just societies and resilient democracy in Europe and beyond.
I thank you all for joining us today for what I am sure will be a very successful discussion!
