ETUC shares the sense of urgency expressed in this Declaration and has written to European leaders urging them to act boldly in favour of a Social Europe.

Actually, about 130 renowned labour and social lawyers across Europe have expressed in a Declaration, sent today to European leaders, their grave concern about the state of social progress and protection of workers’ rights in the EU. This Declaration has been issued in advance of the European Summit of 18–19 June where heads of Member States will decide on the legal guarantees to support Ireland’s campaign for a ‘Yes’ vote in its forthcoming second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

The signatories to this Declaration, including distinguished academics and practitioners, call on European leaders to guarantee a clear, unambiguous and legally binding confirmation of the fundamental social rights of workers and their representatives.

Declaration and signatories

See the Declaration, list of signatories and the letter sent with the declaration to the heads of state and government, published by the European Trade Union Institute (etui).

More information

For more information, refer to the ETUC press release calling on European leaders to ‘act boldly’ on fundamental rights of workers and the letter to the Czech Presidency, and the heads of state and governments (32 Kb PDF) of 16 June 2009.