1. International human rights instruments
1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights CESCR
1961 European Social Charter, revised 1996 ESC
1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights UDHR
1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights CCPR
1950 European Convention on Human Rights ECRH
European Code of Social Security 1964
ILO conventions – eg. Social Security (Minimum Standars) Convention of 1952 No 102
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families 1990
The Convention on Rights of the Child 1989 CRC
The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CEDAW
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination CERD
Additional protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The African Charter of Human and Peoples´ Rights

2. Social rights and EU
Treaty of Rome – equal pay + direct effect + horizontal effect
1989 Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers
1989 European Parliament: Declaration of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms
art. 11 freedom of association, 12 of to choose an occupation, 13 working conditions, 14 collective social rights, 15 social welfare, 16 right to education
Treaty of Amsterdam 1997
art 136: reference to both European Social Charter and 1989 Community Charter; "proper social protection" one of the objectives of the EU and its Member States and the "harmonisation of social systems" is mentioned as an expected out outcome
Nice 2000 EU Charter on Fundamental rights
relatively much attention to economic and social rights – albeit in varying level of precison
art 34: "The Union recognises and respects the entitlement to social security benefits and social services providing protection in cases such as maternity, illness, industrial accidents, dependency or old age, and in the case of loss of employment"
Treaty of Maastricht
Protocol on Social Policy and an Agreement on Social Policy: To continue along the path laid down in the 1989 Social Charter (all members but UK)

3. European Social Charter
The wording does not seem to provide genuine individual economic rights, but it addressed to state parties –still the committee of Independent Experts and gradually also the Governmental Committee says that such right exists
major breakthrough in the international protection of social and economic rights as it moves away from the old idea of assistance, converting it from a stigmatizing "charity" to a right and prohibiting social and political discrimination against persons receiving assistance
art. 16
guarantee certain specific forms of social security namely family benefits (16)
art. 17
services for mothers and children
art 14
protects the right to social welfare services
art 23
right of elderly persons to social protection
art. 30
protection against poverty and social exclusion
Does not define proper level of social security
Joint effect, art. 12: System of social security

4. Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
Art 1 Human dignity
Art 25 The rights of the elderly
Art. 26 Integration of persons with disabilities
Art 34 Social security and social assistance
Art. 35 Health care
Art. 51 Scope
Art 52 Scope of guaranteed rights
Art. 53 Level of protection
Art. 54 Prohibition of abuse of rights

5. Usefull links:
en.htm (Fundamental Rights of the European Union)
constitutions.html (constitutions of the member states)
(E.U.Network of Independent Experts on Fundamental Rights)
relating to the complete text of the charter.pdf