Human Rights

CoE Spotlights Compliance with Rights Judgments

February 17, 2017

Increasing pressure on countries in the Council of Europe (CoE) to implement the European human rights agenda, the CoE's Department for the Execution of Judgments has launched a search engine permitting observers to scrutinize the status of governments' execution of judgments from the European Court of Human Rights.
Hungary Plans Break with EU on Migrant Detention

February 17, 2017

Politico reports that, in a move that will stoke tensions with the EU's migrant resettlement policies, the Hungarian Government has announced a plan to retain indefinitely all migrants entering the country in detention facilities, until officials have resolved their immigration status.
EU Committee Seeks "Inclusive" Social Pillar

February 03, 2017

The European Economic and Social Committee has adopted an opinion on the EU's plans for a European Pillar of Social Rights calling for the inclusion in the Pillar of policies promoting "social progress," including in the welfare systems of EU member states.
CoE Official Seeks Abolition of Migrant Detention

February 03, 2017

In a recent comment, the Council of Europe's (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks asserts that, given the "serious human rights concerns" involved in preventing migrants' free movement, governments must develop alternatives to detaining migrants that comply with European human rights law.
CoE Body Produces "Big Data" Guidelines

February 03, 2017

The Committee of the Council of Europe's (CoE) Data Protection Convention has issued "Guidelines on Big Data" advising entities processing "big data" to comply with global human rights norms on handling data, including by establishing "ethical committees" to analyze the human rights impacts of data processing.
EU Agency Prioritizes Extensive "Data Rights"

February 03, 2017

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has published a press release signaling the priority it places on the "data rights" of citizens under European human rights law and its support of new EU data protection rules that will solidify perceived protections like the "right to be forgotten" and the "right of data portability."
Agency Pushes Global Rights Agenda in EU Social Scheme

February 01, 2017

Consulting on the European Commission's plan for a European Pillar of Social Rights, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights called for the Pillar to be based on social provisions included in the EU Charter for Fundamental Rights and in global human rights instruments.
EU Chief Calls for Guaranteed Income

January 27, 2017

Reuters reports that, in the lead-up to the European Commission's ambitious overhaul of social rights policy through its European Pillar of Social Rights, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker asserted that all EU members should guarantee a minimum salary for workers and a minimum level of income for those who are unemployed.
EU Consults Global Actors on Social Rights

January 26, 2017

The European Commission recently hosted a high-level conference in Brussels seeking input from the global community, including "social partners and civil society," on its plans for a European Pillar of Social Rights that will seek to advance "fairness and social justice in Europe."
MEPs Call for Centralization of Labor Policy

January 26, 2017

Members of the European Parliament have approved a report calling on the European Commission to include in its plans for a European Pillar of Social Rights "EU-wide rules on decent working conditions to apply to all forms of employment" and the introduction of EU social security cards.