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Council of Europe rules on right to housing in France |
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On Thursday 5 June, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), the Council of Europe body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the European Social Charter, published reports containing its decisions assessing two joint claims, brought against France in 2006 by the International Movement ATD Fourth World and by the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA). France attracted the criticism of the associations with its housing policy, which they claimed infringes the European Social Charter. Criticism focuses on a lack of social housing, shortcomings in the policy on assistance to homeless people, a shortage of places in accommodation for travelers and excessive inadequate accommodation.
The ECSR concluded that France has violated article 31 of the Social Charter on the grounds of a shortage of affordable housing to the poorest members of the community and of the inadequacy of the means of appeal in the event of excessively long waits for housing. France has also violated article 31 together with Article E of the Charter (non-discrimination) on the grounds of the deficient implementation of the legislation on halting sites for Travellers constitutes.
Representatives of CECODHAS member organisation l'Union Sociale pour l'Habitat (USH) stated that the report represents a step forward into the implementation of the right to housing, in France as well as in Europe, by giving some power in this sense to civil society actors. Nevertheless, USH believes that it fails to fully consider the circumstances in France, in particular concerning new legislation on the right to housing which will necessarily take some time to be implemented. Furthermore, the critieria used in the report to mesure the implementation of the right to housing also attract some criticism, as the only figures used as evidence in the document are those concerning the waiting lists for social housing. We believe instead that to explain the current situation in France it would be necessary to consider all aspects of the complex housing crisis the country is facing today, including the role of other housing providers such as private landlords.
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