The European Social Charter is the only treaty in European law to apply to all the aspects of social protection that are the core of the European social model. It guarantees the right to: social security; the right to social and medical assistance; and the right to benefit from social services. This book explains the content of these provisions, and the case law of the European Committee of Social Rights in the light of recent developments in Europe. The study gives further insight into the scope of the Charter's protection and the fundamental social rights of individuals confronted with various risks, such as illness, old age and poverty.