During the annual exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the President of the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), Aoife Nolan, highlighted progress in strengthening the European Social Charter and protecting social rights across Europe. She focused her presentation on recent legal and political commitments (including new Charter provision acceptances and the Chisinau declaration), the implementation of the Charter, and the challenges the Committee faces in monitoring States Parties’ compliance with their social rights obligations.

The ECSR President also reported on the outcomes of the most recent monitoring cycle (Conclusions 2025) which covered issues including fair remuneration, safe working conditions, collective bargaining and equal opportunities for women and men in employment. President Nolan stressed the growing importance of ECSR’ work, with 268 collective complaints registered since the system began and decisions on the merits delivered in 206 complaints.

The ECSR President stressed the need for additional resources, called for wider participation in the collective complaints procedure and encouraged further steps to strengthen the implementation of the Charter.

In conclusion, President Nolan emphasised that social rights are essential for sustaining democracy and institutional trust and should therefore be at the core of action flowing from the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe.