<P> The European Social Charter is a Council of Europe treaty which was opened for signature on October 18, 1961 and initially became effective on February 26, 1965, after West Germany had become the fifth of the 13 signing nations to ratify it . By 1991, 20 nations had ratified it . </P> <P> The Charter was revised in 1996 . The Revised Charter came into force in 1999 and is gradually replacing the initial 1961 treaty . The Charter sets out human rights and freedoms and establishes a supervisory mechanism guaranteeing their respect by the States parties . </P>

When was the european social charter adopted and came into force
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