The European social charter in the context of implementation of the EU charter of fundamental rights

This study was commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the AFCO Committee. Despite its increased visibility and relevance to fields covered by the EU, the European Social Charter has been largely ignored from the more recent developments concerning the protection of fundamental rights in the EU legal order. This creates the risk of conflicting obligations imposed on the EU Member States, respectively as members of the EU and as States parties to the European Social Charter. Various options could be explored to move beyond the current impasse.