Social rights in the new socio-economic architecture of the European Union

The seminar would provide an opportunity to discuss, in an academic setting conducive to a frank discussion conducted in accordance with Chatham House rules, whether the debate on the European Pillar of Social Rights could provide an opportunity to better connect EU socioeconomic governance tools (the European Semester, the 2012 « Fiscal Compact », the European Stability Mechanism in particular) to international human rights law, and particularly to the Council of Europe’s Social Charter and to ILO instruments. 

Taking into account the latest proposals of the European Commission on the development of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the seminar shall explore different options that could be explored in order to ensure this connection, based in particular on the recommendations made in the report recently presented to the Human Rights Council by Mr Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, the UN Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, following his mission to the EU; as well as on the suggestions in the report prepared on the same topic by Olivier De Schutter and Paul Dermine.  

Other academic participants include: Olivier De Schutter, Paul Dermine, Elise Dermine, Filip Dorssemont, Joanna Unterschuetz, Auriane Lamine, Klaus Loercher, Julie Ringelheim, Marco Rocca, Gilles Trudeau, Guido Van Limberghen.  

Agenda

Introductory remarks - Professor Simon Deakin (Cambridge University) 

Panel discussion, bringing together :

• Christos Giakoumopoulos, Human Rights Director, Council of Europe;
• Riccardo Priore, Coordinator of the Turin Process, Secretariat of the European Social Charter, Council of Europe;
• Claire Courteille (Representative of the ILO to the EU in Brussels) - Jana Hainsworth (president of the Social Platform of NGOs);
• Piet van Nuffel (Legal Service of the European Commission).

Followed by comments from 

• Prof. Mélanie Schmitt (University of Strasbourg);
• Prof. Csilla Kollonay-Lehoczky (Central European University).

In the presence of 

• H.E. Ambassador Zoltan Taubner, Permanent Representative of the Council of Europe to the European Union;
• Mr Humbert de Biolley, Permanent Representation of the Council of Europe to the European Union.

This seminar is organized under the scientific responsibility of  Prof. Olivier De Schutter, Filip Dorssemont, Auriane Lamine and Marco Rocca    

Pratical information

• 9 May 2017, 6.15 pm - 8.15 pm 
• Fondation universitaire
• Adresse : Rue d'Egmont 11, in downtown Brussels (métro Trône)