This decision regards the lack of housing rights for the Roma population in Italy under Articles 31 and E of the Revised European Social Charter. The complaint was brought on the grounds that there is shortage of adequate living conditions in camping sites in Italy for the Roma; that the Roma are forcefully evicted without proper procedure or alternatives; and that social housing options are not available to the Roma.
The Committee of Ministers unanimously agreed to the recommendations by the ECSR. Italy was charged with following up on the recommendations of the report by implementing the enforceable right to housing act and making regular progress reports to the Committee of Ministers. Italy’s efforts are assessed by the Committee of Ministers in its reports on the state’s implementation of provisions of the Revised European Social Charter.
The case is significant in that it holds that rights in the Revised European Social Charter may apply to persons who are not nationals of state parties to the Charter. The case emphasizes the ECSR’s inclination to look to the underlying social purposes of the Charter in determining its scope.
For their contributions, special thanks to ESCR-Net member: the Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy (PHRGE) at Northeastern University.