In 2020, the European Commission presented its Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU. It sets out measures to increase the role of the EU Charter. Currently, the European Commission is undertaking a mid-term review of this strategy.
FRA submitted written input to this mid-term review and presented its views in a panel debate in the EESC which contributed to the ongoing review.
The agency stressed that the Charter, the EU’s bill of rights, can serve as a means to protect civil society while at the same time civil society can contribute to a better application of the Charter nationally. The agency pointed to the fact that many of its findings of five years ago are still valid. These included those that point at rather low levels of awareness and engagement by civil society actors with the EU Charter.
To help, FRA offers a range of online tools assisting in the application of the Charter and the promotion of Charter rights.