Statements of interpretation of the European Committee of Social Rights

The Committee’s statements of interpretation are an authoritative source of interpretation that add detail to the rights and obligations set out in the European Social Charter. They provide important guidance on the scope and nature of State duties in terms of different Charter provisions and how they apply in relation to specific issues or contexts.

The Committee’s statements of interpretation are usually published in the General Introduction to the Committee’s periodical conclusions emerging from its statutory reporting process. This page, seeks to provide easy access to those who wish to delve deeper into the Committee’s work.

Article 1

Statements of Interpretation - Article 1

Conclusions XIII-3 (1995), Statement of Interpretation on Article 1 of the Additional Protocol

Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§1, Conclusions I (1969)

Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§1, Conclusions III (1973)

Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§1, Conclusions 2002

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§2

Conclusions III (1971), Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§2

Conclusions V (1975), Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§2

Conclusions XVI-1 (2002), Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§2

Conclusions 2006, Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§2

Conclusions 2012, Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§2

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§4

Conclusions XII-1 (1991), Statement of Interpretation on Article 1§4

Article 2

Statements of Interpretation - Article 2

Conclusions XIV-2 (1998), Statement of Interpretation on Article 2§1

Conclusions 2010, Statement of Interpretation on Article 2§2

Conclusions I (1969) Statement of interpretation on Article 2§3

Conclusions XII-2 (1992), Statement of Interpretation on Article 2§3

Conclusions 2007, Statement of interpretation on Article 2§3

Conclusions V (1977), Statement of Interpretation on Article 2§4

Conclusions XVIII-2 (2007), Statement of Interpretation on Article 2§4

Conclusions XIV-2 (1998), Statement of Interpretation on Article 2§5

Article 3 of ESC

Statements of Interpretation - Article 3

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 3

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 3§1

Conclusions XIII-1 (1993), Statement of Interpretation on Article 3§3 (i.e. Article 3§2 of the 1961 Charter)

Conclusions XIV-2 (1998), Statement of Interpretation on Article 3

Conclusions 2013, Statement of Interpretation on Article 3

Conclusions 2013, Statement of Interpretation on Article 3§3

Article 4

Statements of Interpretation - Article 4

Conclusions 2010, Statement of Interpretation on Article 4§1

Conclusions XIV-2 (1998), Statement of Interpretation on Article 4§1

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 4§3

Conclusions 2018, Statement of Interpretation on Article 4§4

Conclusions 2022, Statement of Interpretation on Article 4§4

Conclusions 2022, Statement of Interpretation on Article 4§5

Conclusions V (1977), Statement of Interpretation on Article 4§5

Article 5 & 6

Statements of Interpretation - Article 5 & Article 6

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of interpretation on Article 5

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 6§1; Conclusions V (1977)

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 6§2

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 6§3

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 6§4

Conclusions VIII (1984), Statement of Interpretation on Article 6§4

Article 7

Statement of Interpretation - Article 7

Conclusions 2015, Statement of interpretation - Articles 7§1 and 7§3

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of interpretation - Article 7§3

Conclusions 2015, Statement of Interpretation - Articles 7§1 and 7§3

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of interpretation - Article 7§1;

Conclusions 2006, Statement of interpretation - Article 7§3

Conclusions V (1977), Statement of interpretation - Article 7§3

Conclusions 2011, Statement of interpretation - Article 7§3

Conclusions II (1971), Statement of interpretation - Article 7§5

Conclusions V (1977), Statement of interpretation - Article 7§6

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of interpretation - Article 7§8

Conclusions IV (1975), Statement of interpretation - Article 7§9

Conclusions XV-2 (2001), Statement of interpretation - Article 7§10

Article 8

Statement of Interpretation - Article 8

Conclusions III (1973), Statement of Interpretation on Article 8§1

Conclusions XV-2 (2001), Observation interprétative de l’article 8§1

Conclusions XIX-4 (2011), Statement of Interpretation on Article 8§1

Conclusions 2015, Statement of Interpretation on Article 8§1

Conclusions XX-4 (2015), Statement of interpretation on Article 8§1

Conclusions XIII-4 (1996), Statement of Interpretation on Article 8§2

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 8

Conclusions X-2 (1988), Statement of Interpretation on Article 8§4

Conclusions 2019, Statement of Interpretation on Article 8§4 and 8§5

Conclusions X-2 (1990), Statement of Interpretation on Article 8§5 (i.e. 8§4b) of the 1961 Charter

Articles 9 & 10

Statement of Interpretation - Article 9 & 10

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 9

Conclusions IV (1975), Statement of Interpretation on Article 9

Conclusions XIV-2 (1998), Statement of Interpretation on Article 9

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 10§1

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 10§2

Conclusions III (1973), Statement of Interpretation on Article 10§2

Conclusions IV (1975), Statement of Interpretation on Article 10

Articles 11 & 12

Statements of Interpretation - Articles 11 & 12 & 13

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 11

Conclusions 2005, Statement of Interpretation on Article 11

Conclusions XVI-1 (2002), Statement of Interpretation on Article 12

Conclusions I (1969), Statement of Interpretation on Article 13

Conclusions VII (1981), Statement of Interpretation on Article 13§4

Conclusions 2013, Statement of Interpretation on Article 13§1 and 13§4

Articles 14 & 15 & 16 & 17

Statement of Interpretation - Articles 14 & 15 & 16 & 17

Conclusions 2009, Statement of Interpretation on Article 14§1

Conclusions 2007, Statement of Interpretation on Article 15§1

Conclusions 2008, Statement of Interpretation on Article 15§3

Conclusions XVI-1 (2002), Statement of Interpretation on Articles 12§4 and 16

Conclusions XIX-4 (2011), Statement of interpretation on Articles 16 and 17§1

Conclusions 2011, Statement of interpretation on Article 17§2

Conclusions 2023 - Statement of interpretation on Article 17 (child poverty)

Conclusions 2023 - the Committee adopted the following statement of interpretation under Article 17 (child poverty):

The prevalence of child poverty in a State Party, whether defined or measured in either monetary or multidimensional terms, is an important indicator of the effectiveness of state efforts to ensure the right of children and young persons to social, legal and economic protection under Article 17 of the Charter. Consistent with its approach in relation to the conceptualisation and measurement of poverty adopted by the Committee in terms of Article 30, the Committee‘s consideration of child poverty for the purposes of Article 17 reflects an understanding of both income and multi-dimensional understandings of poverty (Statement of interpretation, 2013, Article 30). This understanding is reflected in the indicators and elements the Committee takes into account when assessing State Party compliance with Article 17. For the States that have not accepted Article 17, child poverty will be addressed under Article 30.

The EUROSTAT data and the EU-27 rate of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion is used as key point of reference and indicator of state compliance with Charter rights by the Committee. The Committee will also have regard to disimprovement in terms of the rate of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion in a State Party. Furthermore, the Committee also takes into account non-monetary measures adopted at reducing child poverty and social exclusion such as ensuring access to quality and affordable services in the areas of health, education and housing. When assessing State conformity with Article 17, the Committee will also take into account the extent to which child participation is ensured in work directed towards combatting child poverty and social exclusion.

Articles 18 & 19 & 20