Social charters
Social charters
The purpose of a social charter is to oblige all countries to give their citizens a minimum level of social rights.
The EU Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers was adopted as a political statement in December 1989 by the governments of all member states, except that of the UK. It was introduced on a legal basis by the Maastricht Treaty, but Britain opted out of the Charter. The Blair government removed this opt-out when they came into power.
The charter - that sets out worker's rights in EU - was of symbolic importance in obtaining the support of Social Democrats, labour-forces, and trade unions in various member states, for a monetary union.
There is another social charter - the original European Social Charter agreed in Turin in 1961 by the Council of Europe. This charter is composed of 38 articles and contains basic rights such as: the right to work, the right to organise, the right of collective bargaining and the right to social security.
Social rights are also included in the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights, which has become legally binding through the Lisbon Treaty - and the Melloni Court case from 2013 given the Charter primacy over national constitutions.
Links
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c10107.htm
