Ratification and acceptance of all the provisions of the European Social Charter by member States of the Council of Europe

Recommendation 710 (1973)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 26 September 1973 (10th Sitting) (see Doc. 3276 revised, report of the Committee on Social and Health Questions). Text adopted by the Assembly on 26 September 1973 (10th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Recalling that the European Social Charter, signed at Turin on 18 October 1961 and in force since 26 February 1965,constitutes, together with the European Convention on Human Rights, the most important international treaty drawn up in the Council of Europe ;

2. Emphasising the importance of the Charter for the development of uniform social legislation in the Council of Europe's member States,

3. Believing that harmonious progress in the social field is indispensable to future social and economic cooperation in Europe ;

4. Believing that, if the Charter is not applied in all member States, considerable disparities will persist in the field of social legislation in Europe ;

5. Recalling Written Declaration No. 11 (1971) ;

6. Having taken note of the resolution adopted on 4 April 1973 by the European Parliament, on the second report of the European Communities to the Council on the possibilities and difficulties facing member States regarding the ratification of a first list of agreements concluded within the framework of other international organisations ;

7. Welcoming the support provided by the European Parliament which regrets, in particular, that twelve years after its signing at Turin by all the States which are now Members of the Community, the European Social Charter has still not been ratified by Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands ;

8. Considering that the Charter represents a valuable means of achieving a greater unity between member States of the European Economic Community (EEC) and the non-EEC countries forming part of the Council of Europe, and accordingly regretting that certain of the latter group, namely Iceland, Malta, Switzerland and Turkey, have not yet ratified the Charter,

9. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers urge those governments of member States which have not yet signed and/or ratified the European Social Charter to do so without further delay, while urging the others to accept additional provisions of the Charter in appropriate cases.