The year 2025 marked both a milestone and a point of reflection: 25 years since the proclamation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter) and a year of significant tests of the values it enshrines.

This introductory chapter presents key developments from 2025, drawing on FRA’s analysis of the year’s fundamental rights issues. Three policy areas are examined: internal security in the EU and the impact of security on rights; asylum and migration, including border practices and access to protection; and equality and non-discrimination, highlighting persistent lived experiences of inequality. Across these areas, we ask how effectively Charter rights operationalise European values – the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union – and where safeguards have proved insufficient in law, process or practice.

The year’s events underline the enduring importance of the Charter and the EU’s foundational values. Looking ahead, EU values should be translated into practical and enforceable rights, with the Charter as the practical tool bringing them to life.