European Social Cohesion Platform Newsletter July - August - September 2018

Organisational Changes

We would like to inform you about changes affecting the internal organisation which relate to the European Social Cohesion Platform (PECS): its Secretary Ms Annachiara Cerri has retired on 1st October. The responsibility for the PECS is being taken over by Ms Margarita Galstyan. Mr Jan Malinowski is the new Head of Department of the European Social Charter, which is the administrative structure including the Platform within its responsibilities.

Bioethics Public Debate

Vigorous and open public debate is a sign of the health of any democracy. It is especially important in biomedical developments, such as

precision and genomic medicine, which can have the capacity to blur, challenge or transgress normative boundaries and challenge human rights. The Committee on Bioethics is developing a guide to public debate to raise awareness and promote discussion on health-related issues with a view to facilitating public consultations and policy decisions.

Employment of Roma youth and women

On 12-14 July 2018, Council of Europe experts on Roma issues from Finland, Greece, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Spain and “the Former Yugoslav Republic

of Macedonia” discussed in the municipalities of Tilburg and Enschede, the Netherlands, ways to improve access to employment for Roma women and youth, and to tackle obstacles such as low educational attainment, lack of vocational training, and discrimination.

138th meeting of the Governmental Committee

The Governmental Committee of the European Social Charter and the European Code of Social Security (‘Governmental Committee’) held its 138th meeting on

24 - 28 September 2018 in Strasbourg. Mr Christophe Poirel, recently appointed Director of Human Rights, and Ambassador Gilles Heyvaert Chair of the GR-SOC delivered a welcome address to the representatives of the Governmental Committee.
The Governmental Committee discussed situations of non-conformity and follow-up measures taken by the State Parties with respect to the 2017 Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights concerning the thematic group “Health, social security and social protection”. In addition the Committee held an exchange of views on the 2017 findings of the European Committee of Social Rights on the follow-up decisions on collective complaints.

Recent Developments in the Court's Case-law (26 June - 25 September 2018) - selected cases

Sarishvili-Bolkvadze v. Géorgie, judgement of 19.7.2018
Violation of Article 2: positive obligations in health context ; right to life ; effective

investigation. Absence of statutory remedy for non-pecuniary damage resulting from death caused by medical negligence. Failure to apply rules on health services led to rights violation of mother whose son died owing to medical negligence.
Yirdem and Others v. Turkey, judgement of 4.09.2018
Article 2 (effective investigation) : Failure to conduct within a reasonable time criminal and civil proceedings concerning a death suspected of having resulted from medical negligence: violation.
Dimitar Yordanov v. Bulgarie, judgement of 6.09.2018
Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property): damage to the property of the applicant caused by a nearby coalmine: violation.
Kasat c. Turkey, judgement of 11.09.2018
Violation of article 8 § 1 (respect of private life) : Military service performed by a conscript who had not informed the authorities about his scoliosis: no violation.

Building a Europe for and with children

Over summer, a new Committee of Ministers Recommendation on children’s rights in the digital environment was adopted, an evaluation seminar was held on the 2nd cycle of tests of the Child Participation Assessment Tool, and a call

for applications was launched to implement child consultations with children who have experienced age assessment in the context of immigration/asylum procedures.

CEB approves financing for eight new social projects

On 28th September the Administrative Council of the Council of Europe Development Bank approved 8 new

projects and a request for an increase of an existing project for a total of 600 million euros.

Transition from education to employment

On 25-26 September 2018, 70 international experts discussed ways to facilitate the transition from education to employment for Roma youth at a seminar

on Brijuni Islands, hosted by the Croatian authorities under the aegis of the Croatian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. The recommendations made will be followed up by the Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (CAHROM).

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