17/10/2014 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
“Many austerity and fiscal consolidation programmes were implemented without prior consultation with social partners and are not in conformity with the European Social Charter, nor the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,” the PACE Sub-Committee participating in the High-level Conference on the European Social Charter in Turin stressed today.
With a view to giving new impetus to the protection of social rights, in particular the right to work, across Europe, the Sub-Committee called upon European governments and parliaments to strengthen the protection of social rights and related mechanisms through a series of concrete measures.
Finally the parliamentarians re-affirmed their commitment to supporting relevant efforts undertaken by their respective national authorities, notably by taking legislative and political initiatives, but also by facilitating links between national authorities and social partners in their respective constituencies.