In its Activity Report 2024 published on Monday 8 September, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) calls on European governments to do the following: ensure that the net minimum wage represents at least 60% of the national average wage; cap the price of basic foodstuffs and offer more targeted aid; guarantee stable access to affordable energy; promote access to housing and combat the risk of homelessness by capping rents, increasing housing benefits and expanding social housing; and ensure that social security benefits keep pace with inflation.
These recommendations are part of an analysis of European countries’ response to the cost of living crisis.
This analysis is based on reports by the 41 States Parties to the European Social Charter, as well as contributions from social partners, civil society organisations and national human rights institutions.
In 2023, food prices rose more than seven times faster than wages, hitting low-income families particularly hard.
Although inflation fell in 2024, the cost of living remained high, revealing persistent shortcomings in wage protection, housing and social assistance.
The report also covers developments in the collective complaints procedure and the ECSR’s cooperation with other Council of Europe bodies and international organisations.
In 2024, 12 decisions on the merits and 12 decisions on admissibility were taken by the ECSR.
Ten new collective complaints - filed by national trade unions, international NGOs and employers’ organisations - were registered against six signatory countries: Spain (4), Italy (2), Belgium (1), France (1), Greece (1) and Norway (1).
Moreover, the year 2024 was marked by the Conference on the European Social Charter held in Vilnius in July, which concluded with a Declaration reaffirming the indivisibility of all human rights and calling for a stronger framework for social rights throughout Europe.
A second conference is scheduled for March 2026 in Chișinău under the Moldovan Presidency.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/ibl (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)