The European Committee of Social Rights of the Council of Europe (ECSR) published its Activity Report 2025, on Monday 6 July, devoted to the implementation of the European Social Charter in a context of persistent socioeconomic challenges across Europe.
Positive developments were observed in several of the 46 member states of the Council of Europe, but shortcomings remain regarding fair remuneration, working time, collective bargaining, equal pay between men and women and the protection of workers in non-standard employment.
The collective complaints procedure, which allows social partners and non-governmental organisations to lodge complaints before the ECSR, has enabled it to rule on issues such as labour rights, housing, social protection, healthcare and the rights of vulnerable groups.
Going forward, “the ECSR remains committed to strengthening the visibility, accessibility, and impact of the Charter system”, the ECSR President , Aoife Nolan, stressed in the introduction to the report.
In 2025, the Committee also stepped up its cooperation with other Council of Europe bodies in order to strengthen the coherence of the human rights system.
It did the same with international partners such as the EU, the United Nations, the International Labour Organization and employers’ and workers’ representative organisations.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/mqf (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)