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EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
What are fundamental rights ?
What is the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights?
Preamble
Title I: Dignity
1 -
Human dignity
2 -
Right to life
3 -
Right to integrity of the person
4 -
Prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
5 -
Slavery / Forced Labour
Title II: Freedoms
6 -
Right to liberty and security
7 -
Respect for private and family life
8 -
Protection of personal data
9 -
Right to marry and right to found a family
10 -
Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
11 -
Freedom of expression and information
12 -
Freedom of assembly and of association
13 -
Freedom of the arts and sciences
14 -
Right to education
15 -
Freedom to choose an occupation and right to engage in work
16 -
Freedom to conduct a business
17 -
Right to property
18 -
Right to asylum
19 -
Protection in the event of removal, expulsion or extradition
Title III: Equality
20 -
Equality before the law
21 -
Non-discrimination
22 -
Cultural, religious and linguistic diversity
23 -
Equality between women and men
24 -
The rights of the child
25 -
The rights of the elderly
26 -
Integration of persons with disabilities
Title IV: Solidarity
27 -
Workers' right to information and consultation within the undertaking
28 -
Right of collective bargaining and action
29 -
Right of access to placement services
30 -
Protection in the event of unjustified dismissal
31 -
Fair and just working conditions
32 -
Prohibition of child labour and protection of young people at work
33 -
Family and professional life
34 -
Social security and social assistance
35 -
Health care
36 -
Access to services of general economic interest
37 -
Environmental protection
38 -
Consumer protection
Title V: Citizens' rights
39 -
Right to vote and to stand as a candidate at elections to the European Parliament
40 -
Right to vote and to stand as a candidate at municipal elections
41 -
Right to good administration
42 -
Right of access to documents
43 -
European Ombudsman
44 -
Right to petition
45 -
Freedom of movement and of residence
46 -
Diplomatic and consular protection
Title VI: Justice
47 -
Right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial
48 -
Presumption of innocence and right of defence
49 -
Principles of legality and proportionality of criminal offences and penalties
50 -
Right not to be tried or punished twice in criminal proceedings for the same criminal offence
Title VII: General provisions
51 -
Field of application
52 -
Scope and interpretation
53 -
Level of protection
54 -
Abuse of rights
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ECJ - C 385/07 P / Judgment
ECJ - C 385/07 P / Judgment
Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH v Commission of the European Communities
Deciding body type
Court of Justice of the European Union
Deciding body
European Court of Justice (Grand Chamber)
Type
Decision
Decision date
16/07/2009
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
Title VI: Justice
Article 47 - Right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial
VIEW FULL CASE
ECJ - C 385/07 P / Judgment
Key facts of the case:
By Decision 2001/463/EC of 20 April 2001, the Commission had found abuses of a dominant position by the firm Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland Gmb (below: "DSD") in breach of Article 82 of the EC Treaty. On 5 July 2001, DSD had brought proceedings for the annulment of this decision before the Court of First Instance (case T-151/01), which delivered its judgment only on 24 May 2007, rejecting this application in full. DSD then lodged an appeal against the judgment of the Court of First Instance, putting forward several pleas, including that arising from infringement of the
fundamental right to have the case dealt with within a reasonable time.
Results (sanctions) and key consequences of the case:
The ECJ held that although there was deemed to be a breach of the applicant’s right to an effective judicial remedy, there was nothing to indicate that the decision would have been any different if there had not been such a delay. The applicant nevertheless could still pursue an action for damages caused by that delay. That would have to be the subject of a separate action.
Interpretation of article(s) and implications for the resolution of the case:
The ECJ confirmed that the right to an effective remedy included having one’s case considered within a reasonable time. It confirmed that “everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law.” (para 177) Where a case concerned “infringement of competition rules, the fundamental requirement of legal certainty on which economic operators must be able to rely and the aim of ensuring that competition is not distorted in the internal market are of considerable importance not only for an applicant himself and his competitors but also for third parties, in view of the large number of persons concerned and the financial interests involved” (para 186) The need to respect this right is therefore significant.
The ECJ also held that “the reasonableness of the period for delivering judgment is to be appraised in the light of the circumstances specific to each case, such as the complexity of the case and the conduct of the parties” (para 181) It stated that “the list of relevant criteria is not exhaustive and that the assessment of the reasonableness of a period does not require a systematic examination of the circumstances of the case in the light of each of them, where the duration of the proceedings appears justified in the light of one of them. Thus, the complexity of the case or the dilatory conduct of the applicant may be deemed to justify a duration which is prima facie too long” (para 182) 5 years and 10 months could not be justified by the circumstances of this case.
Paragraphs referring to EU Charter
177, 186, 181, 182