Dr Karin Lukas elected President of the European Committee of Social Rights
On the occasion of the election of its new board on January 28th, 2021, Dr. Karin Lukas was elected President of the European Committee of Social Rights (CoE-ECSR). A long-time expert at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights, Lukas has been a member of the Committee since 2010. Most recently, she served as Vice-President of the fifteen-strong body. She will act as President for a two-year period.
The European Committee of Social Rights is a body of the Council of Europe and observes the member states’ compliance with the European Social Charter (ESC). The ESC is the equivalent of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), with the ECHR ensuring civil and political rights, and the ESC economic and social rights.
“Despite the challenging times we are experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its highly negative impact on social rights, there will be opportunities to further strengthen social rights in Europe, legally and politically,” the newly elected President said. “We are celebrating the 60-year anniversary of the European Social Charter this year. This is an additional reason why social rights are at the very top of the Council of Europe’s agenda. The Committee will support its efforts as best it can,” Lukas elaborated.
In addition to Karin Lukas’s election, Eliane Chemla and Aoife Nolan were appointed Vice-Presidents, and Giuseppe Palmisano General Rapporteur of the Committee.