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Wednesday, September 6, 2006
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Nature of the Case

Complaint alleging violation of right to housing of, and discrimination against, Roma in Greece; Article 16 and Preamble of European Social Charter.

Enforcement of the Decision and Outcomes

The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers (‘COM’) subsequently adopted a resolution (Resolution ResChS(2005)11, 8 June 2004) [NEED LINK HERE ] in which they noted, amongst other things, the extension and revision of the housing loans programme for Greek Roma and the fact that a commission for the social integration of Greek Roma had been established. The COM therefore decided not to accede to the request for reimbursement of costs incurred by the ERRC in preparing the complaint.  The COM has since stated that it will not take any action concerning continuing evictions in light of its previous resolution and the fact that the situation in Greece will be regularly followed under the reporting system under the Charter Greece ignored the Committee’s decision and persists in denying Roma their rights to adequate housing as well as evicting them or threatening them with evictions. (Source: Greek Helsinki monitor/Minority Rights Group, ‘Contribution on the point in the agenda: “Tolerance and non-discrimination: Roma”’, Organization for Secuirty and Co-operation in Europe Human Dimension Implementation Meeting held in Warsaw (28 September 2005)).

Significance of the Case

This was the Committee’s first decision on the merits to address housing rights violations. The Committee’s linkage of social rights under the Charter with the promotion of social inclusion and its finding that States must respect difference and ensure that social arrangements are not such as would effectively lead to or reinforce social exclusion has clear implications for how the Committee may approach other cases alleging the violation of, or discrimination in relation to the enjoyment of, social rights by disadvantaged/marginalized groups.

Groups Involved in the Case

Information on groups and individuals involved on the case The case was brought by the European Roma Rights Centre supported by the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions and the Greek Helsinki Monitor. Mr Claude Cahn Programmes Director European Roma Rights Center H-1386 Budapest 62 PO Box 906/93 Hungary Malcolm Langford, Senior Legal Officer ESC Rights Litigation Programme Centre on Housing Rights & Evictions 83 rue de Montbrillant 1202 Geneva Switzerland Tel: + 41 22 734 1028 Fax: + 41 22 733 8336 Email : malcolm@cohre.org webpage: www.cohre.org Panayote Dimitras Spokesperson Greek Helsinki Monitor P.O. Box 60820 GR-15304 Glyka Nera, Greece Telephone and Fax: Tel. +30-210.347.22.59; Fax +30-210.601.87.60 e-mail: panayote@greekhelsinki.gr webpage: www.greekhelsinki.gr

Ruling