23/09/2011 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
“Parliamentarians have an important role to play in ensuring that governments take all necessary measures to secure fundamental social rights,” today said Carina Ohlsson (Sweden, SOC), addressing a colloquium marking the 50th anniversary of the European Social Charter in Paris. “Europe’s social achievements must be protected,” she stressed. “The strength of European society lies in the social protection of the individual, including through access to decent jobs, education, public health systems and social protection for the elderly.” Therefore, she added, “parliaments should insist on regular reviews of how governments implement social rights.”
In addition, Mrs Ohlsson underlined the importance to ensure that all Council of Europe member states and the European Union accede to and apply the Revised Social Charter, and the need to improve external co-operation through the major international organisations and parliamentary networks.
This conference entitled "The Council of Europe's Social Charter 50 years on: What next?" is co-organised by the Council of Europe, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of France (ESEC) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). It aims to highlight how the European Social Charter and European Union law can complement each other, and to reflect on how to harness synergies to secure progress towards a more social Europe.