Treaties related to social security

The Council of Europe has provided legal instruments to define common European social security standards. In addition to the European Social Charter, these valuable tools are the European Code of Social Security, its Protocol and the European Code of Social Security (revised).

The European Code of Social Security

The Code aims at encouraging the development of social security in all member States of the Council of Europe in order that they may gradually reach the highest level possible. The Code fixes a series of standards which Parties undertake to include in their social security systems.

The Code defines norms for social security coverage and establishes minimum levels of protection which Parties must provide in such areas as medical care, sickness benefits, unemployment benefit, old-age benefits, employment injury benefits, family benefits, maternity benefits, invalidity benefits, survivors' benefits, etc.

Protocol to the European Code of Social Security

The Protocol contains provisions allowing Parties to achieve a higher level of social security than that provided for in the provisions of the European Code of Social Security.

European Code of Social Security (revised)

The revised European Code of Social Security updates and improves the provisions of the European Code of Social Security.

The Revised Code, like its predecessor, defines European norms for social security coverage and establishes minimum levels of protection which Parties must provide in areas such as pensions, unemployment and invalidity benefits, medical care etc. The most important improvements in the new text are higher rates of cover, an extension of the level and duration of benefits, the inclusion of new benefits, relaxation of the conditions of entitlement, a larger number of preventative measures and the absence of all discrimination based on sex.

Implementation of the revised Code by States which have ratified it will be supervised by a Commission of independent experts working within the Council of Europe's framework. Parties are required, in addition, to send reports on their implementation of the Code to their most representative national organisations of employers and workers. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is also called upon to give an opinion on the national reports.

The European Social Charter
a guardian of our social rights

Code of Social Security

Indietro Reinforcing social rights protection in Europe: to achieve greater unity and equality

Expert seminar

The Department of the European Social Charter organised, under the auspices of the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, an expert seminar to discuss the protection of social rights in Europe so as to achieve greater unity and equality. The seminar also followed up on the Committee of Ministers declaration at its Helsinki session in May 2019. At that session, the Committee of Ministers invited all the member States concerned to consider signing and ratifying the revised European Social Charter and its Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints, as a starting point for a resolutely proactive and collective drive to combat inequalities and achieve greater social justice.

The European Social Charter and the European Committee of Social rights guarantee key principles such as free movement of persons, non-discrimination, legal and social security, protection against poverty and exclusion, access to decent housing, health, education and training, as well as employment, safety at work and equality at the workplace, including equal pay.

Participants were welcomed by Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Mattéi, Ambassador of France to the Council of Europe, and Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe. An introduction on strengthening social rights to ensure social justice, national cohesion and the rule of law was pronounced by José Fernandez-Albertos, Researcher at Institute for Policies and Public Goods, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

The seminar was organised in liaison with the “Institut de recherche Carré de Malberg”, University of Strasbourg.