Spain today ratified the Council of Europe’s Revised European Social Charter accepting all the provisions of the treaty and accepted the 1995 Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints. Thus, Spain becomes the third Council of Europe member State, after France and Portugal, to accept all the provisions of the Revised Charter.
“The ratification by Spain of the Revised European Social Charter and moreover the acceptance of the collective complaints procedure clearly demonstrate Spain’s commitment to fully uphold and promote social rights”, said Karin Lukas, President of the European Committee of Social Rights.
Since its adoption in 1996, the Council of Europe has been encouraging all member States to ratify the Revised Charter, because of its more modern and comprehensive nature. The Charter guarantees a broad range of everyday human rights related to employment, safety at work, health, social protection and welfare, housing, education, with a specific emphasis on the protection of vulnerable groups such as older persons, children, persons with disabilities and migrants. The enjoyment of these rights must be guaranteed without discrimination.
Following Spain’s ratification, 36 States are Parties to the Revised Charter, while seven remain bound by the 1961 Charter (Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Iceland, Luxembourg, Poland and the United Kingdom). Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland have yet to ratify either of the two instruments.
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