Date of the decision: 15 February 2023
Country: Finland
Jurisdiction: European Committee of Social Rights (Decision on the merits)
Legal basis: violation of Article 12§1 and Article 13§1 ECSR
Subject:
The Finnish Society of Social Rights complained that Finland's social security and assistance benefits did not meet the requirements of the Revised European Social Charter. Specifically, they argued that the level of minimum benefits and social assistance had remained largely unchanged since 2013 and that the dependence of housing benefits on the Consumer Price Index had resulted in low-income citizens allocating a higher proportion of their income towards housing costs since 2019.
After reviewing the case, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) found that Finland had violated Article 12§1 and Article 13§1 of the Charter, which guarantee the right to social security and the right to social and medical assistance, respectively. The ECSR concluded that Finland had not provided sufficient support for low-income citizens in terms of social security and medical assistance. However, the ECSR found no violation of Article 12§3, which pertains to the right to social security in cases of unemployment, meaning that Finland's social security system met the requirements for those who are unemployed.
This decision highlights the importance of providing adequate social security and assistance to citizens, particularly those with low incomes, and the significance of adhering to the standards outlined in the Revised European Social Charter to protect human rights. The Finnish Society of Social Rights noted that the level of minimum benefits and social assistance has not changed significantly since 2013, and that housing benefits are crucial for low-income citizens, with around 800,000 citizens affected. They also highlighted that the amendment of legislation meant that the amount of housing benefits became dependent on the Consumer Price Index, which only partially relates to housing rent prices, leading to a larger proportion of low-income citizens' income going towards housing costs. For more information, the text of the decision can be found on the HUDOC database.
More info and the text of the decision can be found on HUDOC database.
English
Jurisdiction:
Council of Europe - Committee of Social Rights - European Social Charter
Subject:
Housing
Country:
