Workers or their representatives must, at the appropriate levels, be guaranteed
information and consultation in good time in the cases and under the conditions
provided for by Union law and national laws and practices.
Workers and employers, or their respective organisations, have, in accordance
with Union law and national laws and practices, the right to negotiate and conclude
collective agreements at the appropriate levels and, in cases of conflicts of
interest, to take collective action to defend their interests, including strike
action.
Everyone has the right of access to a free placement service.
Every worker has the right to protection against unjustified dismissal, in
accordance with Union law and national laws and practices.
1. Every worker has the right to working conditions which respect his or her
health, safety and dignity.
2. Every worker has the right to limitation of maximum working hours, to daily
and weekly rest periods and to an annual period of paid leave.
The employment of children is prohibited. The minimum age of admission to employment may not be lower than the minimum school-leaving age, without prejudice to such rules as may be more favourable to young people and except for limited derogations.
Young people admitted to work must have working conditions appropriate to their
age and be protected against economic exploitation and any work likely to harm
their safety, health or physical, mental, moral or social development or to
interfere with their education.
1. The family shall enjoy legal, economic and social protection.
2. To reconcile family and professional life, everyone shall have the right
to protection from dismissal for a reason connected with maternity and the right
to paid maternity leave and to parental leave following the birth or adoption
of a child.
1. 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, in accordance with the rules laid down by Union law and national laws and practices.
2. Everyone residing and moving legally within the European Union is entitled
to social security benefits and social advantages in accordance with Union law
and national laws and practices.
3. In order to combat social exclusion and poverty, the Union recognises and
respects the right to social and housing assistance so as to ensure a decent
existence for all those who lack sufficient resources, in accordance with the
rules laid down by Union law and national laws and practices.
Everyone has the right of access to preventive health care and the right to
benefit from medical treatment under the conditions established by national
laws and practices. A high level of human health protection shall be ensured
in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities.
The Union recognises and respects access to services of general economic interest as provided for in national laws and practices, in accordance with the Constitution, in order to promote the social and territorial cohesion of the Union.
A high level of environmental protection and the improvement of the quality
of the environment must be integrated into the policies of the Union and ensured
in accordance with the principle of sustainable development.
Union policies shall ensure a high level of consumer protection.
(Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. Council of Ministers document CIG 87/1/04 REV 1 of 13 October 2004)