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Proposal for Resolution No 47 /XII

The ratification, by Portugal, of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Rights

Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs, adopted December 10, 2008, by the General Assembly

of the United Nations, in New York, and signed by the Portuguese Republic on September 24

of 2009, assumes great relevance either for the additional degree of protection that will confer upon the

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, whether also due to the preponderant role that

Portugal played in its creation, having chaired the Working Group of Nations

United incarceration of its negotiation.

The Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social Rights and

Cultural constitutes a new tool, within the framework of Human Rights, which will enable the

citizens of the signatory countries of the International Covenant on Economic, Social Rights and

Cultural and the Present Protocol, as well as to other States Part of these same two

instruments, present complaints to the United Nations in cases of alleged violations by the

States Part of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and after drawn-out of the tracks

internal of resource.

Portugal is, since 1978, Part of the International Covenant on Economic, Social Rights and

Cultural, signed by the Portuguese Republic on October 7, 1976 and approved for

ratification through Law No. 45/78 of July 11, having the deposit's deposit of the instrument

of ratification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations was made on July 31, 1978,

as per Notice of the deposit of the instrument of ratification, of the Ministry of Business

Foreigners, published in the Journal of the Republic , 1. th series, paragraph 244, of October 23, 1978. The

even entered into force in the Portuguese legal order on October 31, 1978.

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With the ratification of this Protocol, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights pass through

have a mechanism identical to the one that has existed, since 1966, for Civil and Political Rights,

contributing to reinforce the universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated character

of human rights, and thus to ensure the strict compliance of this instrument

international.

In compliance, the Portuguese Republic promotes the recognition of the competences of the

Respecting Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Thus:

Under the terms of the paragraph d ) of Article 197 (1) of the Constitution, the Government presents to the

Assembly of the Republic the following motion for a resolution:

1-Approving the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic Rights,

Social and Cultural, adopted in New York, on December 10, 2008, whose text in the

Authentic version in English language and respect translation in Portuguese language, if published

in attachment.

2-Recognizing the competences of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, nos

Terms and for the purposes set out in Articles 10 and 11 of the Optional Protocol to the Pact

International on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Seen and approved in Council of Ministers of September 20, 2012

The Prime Minister

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The Minister of State and Foreign Affairs

The Deputy Minister and Parliamentary Affairs