Citizens' Rights and Economic Crisis

The ongoing crisis in Europe has many sides and consequences. In this conference, organized by the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University, convened by the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht and the Maastricht Center of European Law, the paramount question is how the rights of individual citizens or groups of citizens are affected by the crisis.

Which rights do they have? How and by whom can these rights, if any, be enforced? Or, are citizens left in the cold while everyone (IMF, ECB, Eurogroup, Member States) is preoccupied with balance sheets, GDP figures and rating agencies? Is there any role for national courts or the ECJ if budget austerity affects social rights? Do fiscal rescue schemes have to take into account the obligations of the European Social Charter or the Charter of Fundamental Rights?

In this conference there was an investigation, within the broader picture, on the bite of the law and of individual rights in the current (and any future?) economic crisis.

This event took place on September 20, 2013 in Maastricht.