ERRC v Portugal, Collective Complaint 61/2010 (discrimination, housing, social protection)

25 March 2014

The European Roma Rights Centre filed a collective complaint against Portugal, under the Revised European Social Charter, asking the Committee to hold that the access to social housing, substandard quality of housing, lack of access to basic utilities, residential segregation of Romani communities and other systemic violations of the right to housing, amounted to a violation of several rights protected by the Revised Charter.

The Committee unanimously held, in its decision on the merits (30 June 2011), that there was a violation of Article E (non-discrimination clause), in conjunction with Article 31§1 (failure to promote to housing of an adequate standard), 16 (the right of the family to social, legal and economic protection) and 30 (the right to protection against poverty and social exclusion).

• Admissibility decision by the European Committee of Social Rights
• Decision on the merits by the European Committee of Social Rights