High-Level Conference on European Social Charter: Social rights - foundation of Europe’s security and stability

Social rights and democratic institutions are the key to the stability of European societies in the context of global crises, said Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe at the High-Level Conference on European Social Charter, which is taking place today in Chisinau.

The official underlined that the war in Ukraine, the conflicts in the Middle East and other international tensions have direct effects on social and economic security, highlighting the need for sustained investment in health, housing and strong institutions.


“We must keep the current context in mind: the war in Ukraine has already entered its fifth year, and the conflict in the Middle East continues to affect the region. These crises generate cascading effects on the member states of the Council of Europe, impacting the economy, security and human rights. That is why it is crucial to work together to respond to these challenges and to protect the fundamental rights of our citizens. Social rights are not optional; they are the foundation of a strong democracy and of European security,” Berset said.


The official noted that past financial crises have shown us how vulnerable our societies can be.


“Rising prices, difficult access to housing and medical services, child poverty and the risk of social exclusion affect millions of people. These issues underline the importance of collective commitments and effective social protection. Social rights, health and education are not ‘soft’ elements – they are fundamental to the stability of our democracies. Democratic security begins to erode when these rights are not protected. We must strengthen resilience and democratic security, combat disinformation, external interference, the impact of climate change and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence to the labor market. Democratic security does not replace military security; both are necessary and must be developed simultaneously. European democracies must not choose between their values and their strategic interests – we need both. The new Democratic Pact for Europe was created to respond to these challenges and to turn democratic security into a shared responsibility,” Berset added.


The Secretary General recalled that the European Social Charter, also called the “social constitution of Europe”, is an essential instrument for protecting workers, combating inequalities and promoting social justice. Implementing its provisions at the national level is crucial for preventing poverty and social exclusion.

The conference in Chisinau brings together representatives of the 46 member states of the Council of Europe and marks an important moment in the Republic of Moldova’s presidency of this organization. So far, participants have discussed the ratification and implementation of the Charter, as well as the challenges related to digitalisation, climate change and geopolitics.

On the sidelines of the event, two important agreements will be signed in Chisinau: the Social Security Agreement with Ukraine and an agreement to support the implementation of the RESTART reform with the Czech Republic.

The Republic of Moldova ratified the revised European Social Charter on 8 November 2001 and accepted additional provisions in August 2024. At present, our country has accepted 71 of the 98 paragraphs of the Charter. At the same time, the Republic of Moldova has not accepted the 1995 Additional Protocol, which provides for the establishment of a collective complaints system.