The European Committee of Social Rights was established under article 25 of the European Social Charter, to examine conformity in the law and practice of Council of Europe member states with the revised Charter. This publication contains the Committees 2004 conclusions on the implementation of the Charters provisions relating to the right to work (art. 1), collective bargaining and union rights (arts. 5 & 6), prohibition of child labour under 15 years and employment rights for young people (art. 7), social security and social assistance (arts. 12 & 13), rights of the family (art. 16), migrants rights (art. 19), and equal opportunities for men and women (art. 20). This volume covers the following countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, France and Ireland.

The function of the Council of Europe's Committee of Social Rights is to judge the conformity of national law and practice of the 38 states party to the European Social Charter. In respect of national reports, the committee adopts conclusions, in respect of collective complaints, and then it adopts decisions. The present series of publications contain the committee's conclusions relating to the European Social Charter in its revised version in 1996