Germany

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Neubauer et al v. Germany

Luisa Neubauer along with other nine youth climate activists brought a case against the German federal government for its failure to enact adequate climate legislation in the country. The plaintiffs argued that the existing climate legislation– the 2019 German Federal Climate Change Act (Bundes-Klimaschutzgesetz– hereinafter KSG)– not only violated Germany’s responsibilities under the Paris Agreement, but also violated their fundamental rights enshrined in the German constitution (German Basic Law).

Members intervene in pair of groundbreaking climate change-related human rights cases pending at the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights

Collectives of ESCR-Net members have filed third-party interventions in a pair of groundbreaking climate change-related human rights cases now pending before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. The two cases—Duarte Agostinho v. Portugal and 32 Other States, and ...

Human rights advocates eye legal action against Canadian, German, Norwegian and UK governments over global COVID vaccine inequality

Human rights lawyers have threatened legal action against the German, Norwegian, and Canadian governments today for obstructing global efforts to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines and other healthcare technologies.

The move comes as state delegates from around the...

The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)

Country:

Germany

Working Group(s) / Area(s) of Work:

Corporate Accountability

Strategic Litigation

Economic Policy

Sanctions in Social Law, 1 BvL 7/16, Rn. (1-225)

The plaintiff in this case is a man whose unemployment benefits were reduced first by 30% and then by 60% when he declined a proposed employer and later failed to accept a training and trial placement in another role. The man objected to the reductions unsuccessfully, and filed suit in the Social Court. Before rendering a decision, the Social Court stayed the proceedings in order to obtain judicial review from the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) as to whether or not the sanctions scheme in question is in compliance with the Basic Law.

Hartz IV GFCC, Judgment of the First Senate of 09 February 2010 -1 BvL 1/09, 1 BvL 3/09, 1 BvL 4/09

In 2005, Germany began the fourth stage of a program aimed at reducing the costs of the country’s social welfare system, an initiative named after its chief architect, Volkswagen personnel director, Peter Hartz. Hartz IV merged unemployment and welfare benefits, fixing the standard benefit for single people living in old West German states (including East Berlin) at 345 Euros per month. This amount was determined based on a statistical survey of income and expenditure of lower income groups. Benefits for other household members were determined as a percentage of 345 Euros.

Bus tour across Europe to promote minimum income schemes

On 24 April, the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN), which coordinates the European Minimum Income Network, launched a bus tour across Europe to raise awareness of the importance of adequate,...

Legal Report on Access to Healthcare in 12 Countries

This Médecins du monde (MdM) Legal Report on access to healthcare in 12...

FIAN International

Country:

Germany

Working Group(s) / Area(s) of Work:

Women & ESCR

Corporate Accountability

Strategic Litigation

Economic Policy

OP-ICESCR

Liliane Gröninger v. Germany (Communication No. 2/2010)

Liliane Gröninger presented the communication before the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on behalf of herself, her husband and her son, Erhard Gröninger, a person with disabilities. Mrs. Gröninger argues Germany violated Article 3 (General principles), Article 4 (General obligations), Article 8 (Awareness –raising) and Article 27 (Work and employment) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (The Convention), through legislation that failed to promote Mr. Gröninger participation in the labor marker.