The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) has published its 2025 Conclusions. These legal assessments of the performance of states parties in terms of key work-related rights protected by the European Social Charter reveal shortcomings in the guarantee of labour rights in many European countries.
“Despite some signs of progress, the Committee is very concerned by the long way to go in many states parties when it comes to guaranteeing key work-related rights protected by the European Social Charter,” said Aoife Nolan, President of the European Committee of Social Rights. “The Committee’s 2025 Conclusions make clear that significant ongoing challenges include excessive working hours, inadequate safeguards for certain types of jobs – those in the gig or platform economy; telework; jobs requiring intense attention or high performance – and ongoing gender pay inequality.”
The ECSR noted that no measures have been taken in member states to encourage or strengthen the positive freedom of association of workers in the above-mentioned sectors, which traditionally have a low rate of unionisation.
The Conclusions examine the application of the Social Charter to those states parties that have not accepted the collective complaints procedure which enables complaints about rights violations to be brought before the Committee by social partners, international NGOs and others. They focus on specific provisions relating to just conditions of work, safe and healthy working conditions, fair remuneration, the right to organise and bargain collectively, and equal opportunities for women and men in employment.
The Committee identified issues of non-conformity, notably:
- Excessive Working Hours: In several states, some occupational sectors still allow weekly working times exceeding 60 hours, undermining the health and safety of workers.
- Inadequate Protection for Vulnerable category of workers: Many states have yet to extend adequate health and safety protections to vulnerable categories of workers such as: digital platform workers; teleworkers; posted workers; workers employed through subcontracting; self-employed workers; workers exposed to environmental-related risks such as climate change and pollution.
- Gender Pay Gap and Parity: The persistence of gender-based inequalities in remuneration and decision-making roles was observed in most States, with little measurable progress have been made in reducing the gender pay gap or increasing women’s representation on company boards.
- Barriers to Effective Collective Bargaining: Structural and legal obstacles continue to hinder collective bargaining coverage and the exercise of the right to strike in many states. Important obstacles include blanket prohibitions on civil servants, and more specifically on the police prison services employees, air traffic control, healthcare employees, from striking.
- Failures to Address New and Emerging Risks: The lack of comprehensive responses to psychosocial and climate change-related risks in the workplace was observed in many States, particularly affecting vulnerable workers with insufficient legal protections in place, including for the right to disconnect.
The ECSR is encouraging states parties to act promptly on recommendations, strengthen protections for all workers, and promote equality and collective rights as the bedrock of social justice and inclusion across Europe.
The legal assessments underline the crucial role of the European Social Charter as Europe’s safeguard for social rights and the ECSR’s role as the guardian of those rights.
The full set of country-by-country conclusions and recommendations can be found on the Council of Europe’s website.
