The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) today published its annual conclusions for 2016 (Social Charter and Revised Charter) showing 166 violations of the European Social Charter across 34 Council of Europe member states.
The ECSR adopted 513 conclusions on the articles of the Charter relating to employment, training and equal opportunities:

• the right to work (Article 1);
• the right to vocational guidance (Article 9);
• the right to vocational training (Article 10);
• the right of persons with disabilities to independence, social integration and participation in the life of the community (Article 15); 
• the right to engage in a gainful occupation in the territory of other Parties (Article 18);
• the right to equal opportunities between women and men (Article 20); 
• the right to protection in cases of termination of employment (Article 24);
• the right of workers to the protection of their claims in the event of the insolvency of their employer (Article 25).

  There were 262 conclusions of conformity and 85 cases where the Committee was unable to assess the situation due to lack of information, known as “deferrals”.  

  The Committee in particular expressed its concern on equal opportunities between men and women as well as on the protection against discrimination due to disability and in employment due to sexual orientation. More...

Eleonora Cimbro (Italy, SOC), rapporteur for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), will conduct a fact-finding visit to Rome on 1-2 February, in the context of the preparation of her report on “Youth against corruption”. More...

Ahead of Data Protection Day on 28 January, the Committee of the Council of Europe´s Data Protection Convention, also known as “Convention 108”, adopted this week Guidelines on Big Data aiming to assist policy makers and organisations processing personal data to place people at the centre the digital economy. More...

Today’s report from the Council of Europe’s expert committee on money laundering and the financing of terrorism (MONEYVAL) highlights the good coordination of policies related to money laundering and the financing of terrorism on the island. It says that significant reforms have already been introduced and further improvements are expected. More...

To respond to these challenges, the Council of Europe opens for signature today a new Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production.  The opening ceremony will take place during the 46th edition of the International Film Festival in Rotterdam. More...

The Council of Europe Group of experts against human trafficking (GRETA) has published today a report on the implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Italy. The report assesses the specific situation of forced returns of victims of trafficking from Italy and the identification of victims of trafficking among asylum seekers and migrants. More...

In a report published today, the Council of Europe's anti-corruption body, Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), acknowledged considerable progress in reducing corruption in Georgia and improving the country’s standing in international indices, and called on the Georgian authorities to continue implementing  the reforms aimed at preventing corruption among parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors. More...

Statement by Secretary General Jagland: "After a series of terrorist strikes in Europe, now Israel has suffered an attack with a truck deliberately being driven into a group of people, which seems to be the latest cruel method in the arsenal of extremist killers". More...

In a report published today, the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) acknowledges that the United States has in place a solid legal, ethical and institutional framework to prevent and fight corruption in respect of Members of Congress, judges and prosecutors. Nevertheless, the report draws attention to some areas where the system could be further enhanced. More...