How to make the best use of the Collective Complaints Procedure under the European Social Charter
22 September 2015 – European Economic and Social Committee – Trèves Building, 7th floor, 74 rue de Trèves, 1040 Brussels (how to get to the EESC)
Awareness-raising and training for NGOs organised by the Council of Europe’s INGOs Conference and Social Platform, with the support of the Academic Network on the European Social Charter and Social Rights, in the framework of the “Turin Process”
AGENDA
8.30-9.00 Registration and coffee (1th Floor)
9.00-9.20 OPENING SESSION
- European Economic and Social Committee (tbc)
- Anna RURKA, President of the Council of Europe’s INGOs Conference
- Jana HAINSWORTH, President of Social Platform
- Jean-François AKANDJI-KOMBÉ, General Coordinator of the Academic Network on the European Social Charter and Social Rights
Moderator: Riccardo PRIORE, Coordinator of the Turin process, Department of the European Social Charter, Council of Europe
9.20-11.20 SESSION I The European Social Charter’s Collective Complaints Procedure
Session I will provide updated information on the abovementioned procedure in the framework of the normative system of the Charter and its implementation, also in relation to other international instruments / procedures dealing with fundamental social rights at the international level. Opportunity will be given for questions and answers during the session.
Chair: Anna RURKA, President of the Council of Europe’s INGOs Conference
Implementation of the Collective Complaints Procedure in the framework of the normative system of the European Social Charter and the related case-law of the European Committee of Social Rights
- Riccardo PRIORE and Karin LUKAS, Member of the European Committee of Social Rights, Council of Europe
Dutch experiences with the proceedings and decisions adopted by the European Committee of Social Rights
- Roeland BÖCKER, Government Agent before the European Court of Human Rights and the European Committee of Social Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
10.10-11.20 Discussion, initiated by Jean-François AKANDJI-KOMBÉ
Towards an enhanced implementation of the Collective Complaints Procedure: a key objective of the ‘Turin process’
- Michele NICOLETTI, President of the Italian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly, General Rapporteur of the High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter (Turin, 17-18 October 2014)
11.20-11.50 Networking break (1th Floor)
11.50-13.20 SESSION II Exchange of Views and Experiences among International NGOs with respect to the Collective Complaints Procedure
WORKSHOP 1: Employment and Equal Opportunities – Youth
- Sharing experiences: George-Konstantinos CHARONIS, European Youth Forum and Stefan CLAUWAERRT, European Trade Union Confederation
- Facilitator: Geert PRIEM (The European Council of Police Trade Unions)
WORKSHOP 2: Right to social protection and health
- Sharing experiences: Maria POMAZKOVA, Conference of European Churches (NL case) and Andrea ROTONDO, International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IT case)
- Facilitator: Samara JONES (FEANTSA)
13.20-14.20 Lunch break (1th Floor)
14.20-15.50 SESSION II (continuation)
WORKSHOP 3: Rights of children and their families
- Sharing experiences: Sarah GRANDFIL, Défense des enfants international – Belgique
- Facilitator: Peter VERHAEGHE (Caritas Europa)
WORKSHOP 4: Employment and Equal Opportunities – Gender
- Sharing experiences: European Women’s Lobby and Anje WIERSINGA, International Alliance of Women
- Facilitator: Annica RYNGBECK (Social Platform)
15.50-16.10 Networking break
16.10-17.10 SESSION III From Information and Discussion to Concrete Action
Session III will consist of an exchange between representatives of INGOs and experts of the Academic Network on the European Social Charter and Social Rights (ANESC), moderated by the Coordinator of ANESC with the assistance of the workshops’ moderators. It will focus on concrete issues related to the implementation of the Collective Complaints Procedure still to be discussed, worked out or clarified following the information, exchanges, examples provided and debated during Session I & II.
17.10-17.30 CONCLUDING REMARKS
- Jana HAINSWORTH, President of Social Platform
- Anna RURKA, President of the Council of Europe’s INGOs Conference
17.30-18.30 Reception (1th Floor)
READING
- Brochure on the European Social Charter’s Collective Complaints Procedure
- List of Organisations entitled to submit complaints to the European Committee of Social Rights
- Instructions for NGOs wishing to enrol as Organisations entitled to lodge complaints
- The “Brussels Document” (available in 4 languages) supplements the General Report from the “Conference on the Future of the Protection of Social Rights in Europe” in Brussels 2015, by developing reflections for an application in synergy with the European Treaties.