ECSR Admits UNFP Complaint Against France

The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) has declared admissible a collective complaint filed by the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) against France concerning the working conditions, health protections and governance framework applicable to professional footballers. The complaint was registered as Complaint No. 247/2025 under the European Social Charter.

The complaint was lodged on July 1, 2025, alleging that France had failed to ensure compliance with Articles 2, 3, 6, 7 and 11 of the Revised European Social Charter. Article 2 concerns the right to just working conditions, including reasonable working hours, weekly rest periods and paid annual leave. Article 3 concerns the right to safe and healthy working conditions. Article 6 guarantees the rights to collective bargaining and consultation between workers and employers. Article 7 provides special protection for children and young persons in employment, while Article 11 guarantees the right to health protection.

UNFP argued that although professional footballers are recognised as “workers” under French labour law and subject to the Labour Code, France does not ensure that footballers, particularly minors, receive minimum protections concerning working hours, weekly rest, annual leave, occupational health and safety, collective bargaining and health protection.

However, France argued that the complaint was inadmissible because the alleged violations concerned acts attributable to private or foreign actors, such as football clubs, the French Football Federation (FFF), the Professional Football League (LFP), UEFA, and FIFA, rather than the State itself. France also contended that domestic law already provides an adequate framework concerning working hours and occupational health and safety.

In response, UNFP submitted that States remain responsible for ensuring effective enjoyment of Charter rights in practice and cannot rely solely on legislative provisions or delegations of authority to sporting bodies. The union further argued that States may incur responsibility in their regulatory capacity even where alleged violations are committed by non-state actors.

Addressing France’s objection concerning private or foreign actors, the Committee held that the State remains responsible for enforcing Charter rights within its jurisdiction. In Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights v. Greece, Complaint No. 30/2005, the Committee stated that questions concerning the extent of State responsibility would be examined at the merits stage. The ECSR additionally noted that UNFP, founded in 1961 under French labour law, represents approximately 95% of professional footballers active in France.

Consequently, the ECSR unanimously declared the complaint admissible and invited the French Government, relevant States and international organisations of employers and workers to submit observations.

Separately, FIFPRO Europe welcomed the admissibility decision, noting that the case marks the first time a players’ union or sports organisation has had a collective complaint under the European Social Charter declared admissible by the European Committee of Social Rights. FIFPRO Europe also referred to the International Labour Organisation’s guidelines of 18 March 2026, recognising professional athletes as workers entitled to internationally recognised labour protections, and to the European Parliament’s October 2025 report on the European Sport Model, adopted with more than 80% support, which reaffirmed the application of occupational health and safety protections to professional athletes. FIFPRO Europe further stated that it had requested permission to provide observations in the proceedings pursuant to Rule 32A of the Rules of the European Committee of Social Rights.