The Committee members stated that Serbia had ratified the European Social Charter which had contributed to the application of standards in the sphere of labour and social rights and the creation of different trade and employers’ unions.
Јеan-Michael Belorgey, member of the Council of Europe delegation and rapporteur of the European Committee on Social Rights, stressed that the collective complaint mechanism guaranteed by the European Social Charter is a unique system which ensures a higher degree of protection of rights and which does not have an equivalent in other institutions. Pursuant to the additional Protocol to the European Social Charter Collective Complaint Mechanism, unions, international union organisations, civic organisations, as well as NGOs can file a complaint with the Committee on violations of the provisions of the Charter. The complaints are collective, but can also be individual if they address frequent violations of rights. The European Social Charter is a document with almost a constitutional validity in EU countries, added Belorgey, urging for the ratification of the Protocol.
The Committee Chairperson said that the Committee members would open a debate on the potentials for the introduction of the mechanism and consult with the representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy.
In addition to Јеan-Michael Belorgey, the Council of Europe delegation also comprised Petros Stangos and Mikael Poutiers.

The sitting was chaired by Milica Dronjak, Committee Chairperson.