Governmental Committee of the European Social Charter and the European Code of Social Security

The Governmental Committee of the European Social Charter and European Code of Social Security, composed of representatives of the States party to the Charter and assisted by observers representing European employers’ organisations and trade unions (European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Business Europe (ex UNICE) and International Organisation of Employers (IOE), considers conclusions of non-conformity adopted by the European Committee of Social Rights in the months following their publication.

The State concerned must be in a position to set out the measures which it has taken or which it is contemplating taking in order to remedy the situation and, in the latter case, has to provide a timetable for achieving compliance.

In the event that the Governmental Committee considers that it is not envisaged to remedy a violation and take action on a decision of non-compliance, it may propose that the Committee of Ministers address a Recommendation to the State concerned. A recommendation calls on the State concerned to take appropriate measures to remedy the situation. Every year, the Governmental Committee presents a report to the Committee of Ministers.

Since 2001 this report has been submitted in an abridged version. Since 2002, the Governmental Committee has presented a report concerning the European Social Charter (revised) in addition to its report concerning the European Social Charter. Detailed reports are available below.

Bureau membership

Bureau members, elected for a 2-year period 2022-2023

Chairman: Aongus HORGAN (Ireland)
Member : Julie GOMIS (France)
Member: Velga LAZDINA-ZAKA (Latvia)
Member: Yvette KALDEN (The Netherlands)
Member: Ylber ZEJNULLAHU (Belgium)

Calendar of Meetings

Meetings in 2024

148th meeting of the GC, 13-17 May 2024
149th meeting of the GC, 25-29 November 2024

Meetings held in 2023

146th meeting of the GC, 9-12 May 2023
147th meeting of the GC, 27 November-1 December 2023

Relevant documents

CG(2021)9 Position paper on the follow-up to the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) report addressed to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Detailed reports

Report 2023 / Conclusions 2021 and XXII-1(2021)

GC(2023)14: Report concerning conclusions 2021 of the European Social Charter (revised)

GC(2023)20: Report concerning conclusions XXII-1(2021) of the 1961 European Social Charter

Report 2021 / Conclusions 2020 and XXII-1(2020)

Report 2020 / Conclusions 2019 and XX-4(2019)

Reports 2019 / Conclusions 2018 and XXI-3(2018)

Reports 2018 / Conclusions 2017 and XXI-2(2017)

Reports 2017 / Conclusions 2016 and XXI-1(2016)

Previous reports

Rules of procedure

Rules of procedure adopted by the GC of the European Social Charter and the European Code of Social Security at its 146th meeting (May 2023)

The European Social Charter
a guardian of our social rights

Indietro Deputy Secretary General opens Joint Workshop on family as a hub for social policies in Rome

The Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni will open together with the Italian Minister for Equal Opportunities and Family, Elena Bonetti the Joint Workshop on family as a hub for social policies. The event is organised by the Department for Family Policies of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the European Social Cohesion Platform (PECS) of the Council of Europe and will take place in Rome on 9 and 10 October.

The joint workshop will be focused on the main social topics having an impact on both women and men, especially on working mothers and fathers and their children and it is divided into 4 working sessions:

Work-life balance and company welfare;
Family measures to promote the increase in the birth-rate in Europe;
Support services for children witnessing violence and children orphaned by domestic crimes;
Eradication of child poverty.

Opening remarks will also be addressed by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia, Zaruhi Batoyan; by the Minister of Social Security and Labour of Lithuania, Linas Kukuraitis and by the Minister for the Family, Children’s Rights, and Social Solidarity of Malta, Michael Falzon.

The joint workshop will be followed by the 4th meeting of the European Social Cohesion Platform*. The Platform will exchange views on the draft work plan for 2020-2021 and make proposals for future activities, it will examine the draft Declaration of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers on Addressing Child Poverty, as well as the draft Council of Europe Revised Strategy (2020-2021) on social cohesions. In addition, the Platform will hold a discussion on the Report on Middle Class and Social Cohesion that will be presented by Prof. Paolo Graziano, the author.

* The objective of the European Social Cohesion Platform is to reinforce the intergovernmental component of the Secretary General’s strategy to enhance the Council of Europe’s work in the area of social cohesion, in particular through the promotion of the European Social Charter and its collective complaints procedure in order to ensure equal and effective access to social rights.