EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union enshrines into primary EU law a wide array of fundamental rights enjoyed by EU citizens and residents. It became legally binding with the coming into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009.
This section of the website encompasses Charterpedia, an online tool which provides easy-to-access information about the Charter and its provisions. For each Charter Article, it includes the official explanations of the Charter Articles, related European and national case law, and related provisions in national constitutional law as well as in international law. It also contains references to academic analysis and related FRA publications. The information is also available offline in our EU Charter App.
The original compilation was created by the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee. Since 2009 it has been maintained and continuously expanded by the FRA.
The European and national case law is also accessible via the Case-Law Database.
Our new e-learning tool Charter e-guidance assists judges and other legal practitioners on the field of application of the Charter as laid down in Article 51.
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
- Annual report by the European Commission on the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (2010 onwards)
- Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU
- Commission notice - Guidance on ensuring the respect for the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union when implementing the European Structural and Investment Funds (‘ESI Funds’)
- Council Conclusions on the Charter of Fundamental Rights after 10 Years: State of Play and Future Work, 20.9.2019
- European Parliament resolution of 12 February 2019 on the implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in the EU institutional framework (2017/2089(INI))
- How to better implement the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights - Selected Quotes from European Parliament and Council Conclusions 2010 - 2020
ARTICLE-BY-ARTICLE COMMENTARIES ON THE CHARTER
- Bifulco, R., Cartabia, M. and Celotto, A. (2001), L’Europa dei diritti: Commento alla Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’Unione Europea, il Mulino, Bologna.
- Coghian N. Steiert M. (eds.) (2020), The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union: the travaux préparatoires and selected documents
- Holoubek, M. and Lienbacher, G. (eds.) (2019), Commentary on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (GRC-Kommentar), 2nd edition, Manz, Vienna;
- Kellerbauer, M., Klamert, M. and Tomkin J. (eds.) (2019), Commentary on the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- Mangas Martin, A. (2008), Carta de los derechos fundamentales de la Unión Europea: Comentario, artículo por artículo, Fundacion BBVA, Bilbao.
- Mastroianni, R., Allegrezza, S., Razzolini, O., Pollicino, O. and Pappalardo, F. (eds.) (2017), Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’Unione Europea, Giuffrè, Milano;
- Meyer, J. and Hölscheidt, S. (eds.) (2019), Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union: Kommentar, (Commentary on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union) 5th edition.
- Peers, S., Hervey, T., Kenner, J. and Ward, A. (scheduled for 2021), The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: A commentary, 2nd edition, CH Beck Hart Nomos, Oxford;
- Picod, F., Rizcallah, C. and Van Drooghenbroeck, S. (2020), Charte des droits fondamentaux de l’Union européenne: Commentaire article par article (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union: Commentary article-byarticle), Bruylant, Bruxelles.
- Sachpekidou E., Tagaras Ch., Kanellopoulou-Malouchou N., Karagiannis V., Lentzis D., Marouda M.-N., Sarmas D., Takis A., Tsolka O., (2020), Κατ’ άρθρο ερμηνεία του Χάρτη των Θεμελιωδών Δικαιωμάτων της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης (Article-By-Article Commentary Of The Eu Charter Of Fundamental Rights ), Nomiki Bibliothiki, 752 p.
- Toggenburg G. (2019 - 2021), All EU-r rights, Online series published in the EURAC Research in English, Blog (and partly available also in Italian on Lo Spiegone)
OTHER DOCUMENTS, SOURCES AND TOOLS (mostly from projects co-funded by the EU)
- Case-law by the Court of Justice of the European Union on the principle of ne bis in idem in criminal matters. Eurojust February 2024
- European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) judicial publications
The European Union Agency for Asylum produces a range of judicial publications specifically tailored to the needs of members of courts and tribunals competent in asylum matters. These publications comprise judicial analyses, judicial trainers’ guidance notes and compilations of jurisprudence. All materials are developed in English and are translated in several languages. - ACTIONES (Active Charter Training through Interaction Of National Experiences) was an EU-funded project focused on the vertical and horizontal interaction between courts. It resulted in four handbooks on techniques of judicial interactions in the application of the Charter.
- The Charter in action: an EU-funded project that resulted in a best practices handbook for Charter trainings and a training manual;
- Charterclick was an EU-funded project that resulted in a Charter tutorial and an interactive checklist both designed to make understand whether the Charter applies to a given case. Both tools are available on the e-justice platform of the European Commission.
- European Judicial Training Network (ETJN) database lists all available face-to-face judicial training opportunities.
- Council of Europe HELP training platform provides a range of resources on the ECHR. These include distance-learning and self-learning resources on the ECHR and European human rights standards, as well as handbooks and other useful resources.
- Council of Europe HELP: Introduction to Human Rights Protection in Europe - Interplay between the ECHR and the EU Charter
- Judging the Charter: an EU-funded project which resulted in a set of training events, a manual on the role of the Charter in asylum cases and a Charter website that brings together a large amount of Charter-related information, including exercises and training materials, case law and a selection of relevant EU legislation;
- Library of Charter-specific training materials put together by the European Law Academy in Trier which offers a wide spectrum of trainings on the Charter
- Making the Charter of Fundamental Rights a living instrument: an EU-funded project that resulted in a user-friendly Manual on the Charter and Guidelines for civil society actors on how to best use the Charter;
- Making the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights a reality for all - 12 November 2019 - Conference material
NB: The above links are provided for information purposes only. The FRA bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of external websites and links.
260 results found
- O ΧΑΡΤΗΣ ΘΕΜΕΛΙΩΔΩΝ ΔΙΚΑΙΩΜΑΤΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΕTranslated Title:The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European UnionPublished in: Νομική ΒιβλιοθήκηYear:2019
- Působnost Listiny základních práv EU v kontextu judikatury Ústavního soudu ČRTranslated Title:The Scope of the Application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU in the Context of the Case Law of the Constitutional Court of the Czech RepublicPublished in: Acta Universitatis Carolinae Iuridica 4/2018Year:2019Page numbers:53-63
- La aplicación de la Carta de derechos fundamentales de la Unión Europea por la jurisdicción ordinariaTranslated Title:The application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union by ordinary jurisdictionPublished in: Perspectivas actuales del proceso de integración europea (Current prospects for the European integration process)Year:2019Page numbers:pp. 245-274
- Protection of the EU Charter for Private Legal Entities and Public Authorities? The Personal Scope of Fundamental Rights within Europe ComparedPublished in: Utrecht Law Review 15 1Year:2019Page numbers:pp. 1-25
- Drittwirkung der Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union und ihre Folgen für das nationale ArbeitsrechtTranslated Title:Third-party-effects of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and its consequences for national labor lawPublished in: Das Recht der Arbeit 4Year:2019
- Drittwirkung von Grundrechten der EU-GrundrechtechartaTranslated Title:Third-party effect of fundamental rights of the European Charter of Fundamental RightsPublished in: Zeitschrift für europäisches Sozial- und Arbeitsrecht 18 2Year:2019Page numbers:pp. 53-58
- Semester - dödsviktig princip som har horisontell direkt effekt med stöd av stadganTranslated Title:Vacation – Deadly important principle, with horizontal direct effect with support from the CharterPublished in: Europarättslig tidskrift 2Year:2019Page numbers:pp. 301-312
- Listina základních práv EU jako měřítko pro vnitrostátní legislativu?Translated Title:The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU as a Yardstick for National Legislation?Published in: Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Iuridica 4/2018Year:2019Page numbers:pp. 11-18
- La mobilisation de la Charte des droits fondamentaux de l’Union européenne par les juridictions constitutionnellesTranslated Title:The mobilisation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union by the Constitutional CourtsPublished in: Conseil Constitutionnel (Constitutional Council) Titre VII 2019/1 (N° 2)Year:2019Page numbers:pp. 31-40
- Ustavni sud Republike Hrvatske kao “europski” sud i očuvanje nacionalnih standarda zaštite temeljnih ljudskih prava i slobodaTranslated Title:The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia as a ‘European’ Court and the Preservation of National Standards of Fundamental Rights ProtectionPublished in: Zbornik Pravnog fakulteta u Zagrebu 69 2Year:2019Page numbers:pp. 249-276
- The EU Internal Market and the EU Charter: Exploring the ‘Derogation SituationPublished in: F. Amtenbrink, G. Davies, D. Kochenov, & J. Lindeboom (Eds.), The Internal Market and the Future of European Integration: Essays in Honour of Laurence W. GormleyYear:2019Page numbers:pp. 49-56
- Genome Editing and the EU Charter of Fundamental RightsPublished in: Kraljić, S., Reberšek Gorišek, J. et al (eds.) 28. posvetovanje Medicina, pravo in družba: Globalizacija medicine v 21. stoletju, Maribor, Univerza v Mariboru, Pravna fakultetaYear:2019Page numbers:pp. 289-309
- So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu: Brexit and the Charter of Fundamental RightsPublished in: Modern Law Review 82 2Year:2019Page numbers:pp. 350-366
- Brexit and the EU Charter of Fundamental RightsPublished in: Public Law: the Constitutional & Administrative Law of the Commonwealth 1Year:2019Page numbers:82-101
- Hassrede und Freiheit der MeinungsäußerungTranslated Title:Hate Speech and Freedom of ExpressionPublished in: Der Schutzbereich der Meinungsäußerungsfreiheit in Fällen demokratiefeindlicher Äußerungen nach der Europäischen Menschenrechtskonvention, dem Grundgesetz und der Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen UnionYear:2019
- The Fundamental Right to Good Administration: from the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union to the prospects of its effectiveness and control in the constitutional orders of Portugal and Spain: comparative developments in the Brazilian realPublished in: Seqüência - Legal and Political Studies 41 82Year:2019Page numbers:pp 176-201
- Reflexiones sobre el derecho fundamental a la buena Administración pública en el derecho administrativo brasileroTranslated Title:Reflections on the fundamental right to good public administration in Brazilian administrative lawPublished in: Revista Digital de Derecho Administrativo 21Year:2019Page numbers:pp 47-75
- Within the Public-Private Divide. Right to Housing and Consumer Law in Recent European Private Law TrendsPublished in: Global Jurist 19 2Year:2019
- Values in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights A Legal-Philosophical Analysis with a Focus on Migrants’ RightsYear:2019
- A Carta dos Direitos Fundamentais da União Europeia e o nível mais elevado de proteçãoTranslated Title:The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the highest level of protectionYear:2019
89 total results found
- Published in: Stenographische Protokolle XXV. Gesetzgebungsperiode 111. Sitzung des Nationalrates der Republik ÖsterreichPage numbers:pp 120, 121Year:2016Summary:In a parliamentary debate on introducing an ‘upper limit’ for refugee reception, the Member of the Parliament recalled that such upper limits are neither foreseen in the Charter, nor possible according to the Charter.
- Translated Title:Published in: CHAMBRE 2 e SESSION DE LA 54e LÉGISLATURE = KAMER 2e ZITTING VAN DE 54e ZITTINGS PERIODE DOC 54 1297/003Year:2015Summary:Proposed amendment No. 39 to the bill pertaining to various social provisions. Article 2 of this bill sets a certain amount for the minimum wage for flexi-jobs. On the matter of that article, a parliamentary deputee invoked the Charter, in conjunction with Directive 2003/88/EC and more specifically the right of every worker to yearly paid leave to propose an amendment to the minimum wage amount. There is a clear impact of the Charter as the deputee directly invoked a very practical right provided for in the Charter to propose an amendment.
- Published in: CHAMBRE-2e SESSION DE LA 54e LÉGISLATURE = KAMER 2e ZITTING VAN DE 54e ZITTINGSPERIODE CRABV 54 COM 221Year:2015Summary:Parliamentary question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (No. 3863), 8 July 2015. In the context of blasphemy, apostasy and defamation of religion versus the freedom of speech under the Charter, a question was asked if, within the framework of the Belgian presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, those issues were being raised and what was Belgium’s stance on the matter. The Minister of Foreign Affairs answered that this matter was not being explicitly raised in the framework of the Belgian presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. The Charter is relevant and has an impact in this context as it was used by a member of the Belgian Parliament to inquire whether Belgium was making efforts to promote the compliance of the Charter abroad.
- Published in: Dáil Éireann 31st Dáil 884 1Year:2015Summary:Deputy Finian McGrath discussed Ireland’s obligations in respect of minimum wage and referred to Art 27 of the European Fundamental Rights Charter and Articles 21 and 29 of the European Social Charter.
- Published in: Dáil Éireann 31st Dáil 882 1Year:2015Summary:Deputy Derek Nolan discussed the right to collective bargaining and collective action as enshrined in Article 28 of the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- Translated Title:Published in: Parlamentarische Materialien 447/UEA XXV. GPYear:2015Summary:The motion was tabled by Niko Al & colleagues, at the urgent request of Members of Parliament Matthias Strolz, Waltraud Dietrich & colleagues on "Stopp dem Überwachungsstaat: Gläserner Staat statt gläserne Bürgerinnen und Bürger". Members of the NEOS Party asked the government to provide an overview of all measures of surveillance of citizens. They stated that freedom is an important basis of our society, which is also granted by the Constitution and by the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- Published in: Dáil Éireann 31st Dáil 879 1Year:2015Summary:Deputy Pádraig MacLochlainn discussed human rights protection in Ireland. In this context, he described the protection offered by the Fundamental Rights Charter
- Translated Title:Published in: Стенограми от пленарни заседания ПЕТДЕСЕТ И ПЕТО ЗАСЕДАНИЕYear:2015Summary:The reference to the Charter was general and concerned draft amendments in the Civil Procedure Code (Граждански процесуален кодекс) in the area of enforcement orders (please see above). In the related parliamentary debate, the leader of the group of parliamentarians, submitting the draft, reiterated that the impugned provisions contradicted the Charter.
- Published in: 15 (1. samling), Det Udenrigspolitiske Nævn 2014-15 (1. samling) EUU Alm.del Bilag 429Year:2015Summary:Danish Parliament held a hearing on how to better safeguard fundamental rights. The topic of the discussion was whether the fundamental values are under pressure and what the EU can do in order to change that. Within this hearing Huber Legal, Legal Adviser of the European Council and of the Council of the European Union and Director General of the Legal Service of the Council made this statement.
- Translated Title:Published in: Стенограми от пленарни заседания ЧЕТИРИДЕСЕТ И ПЪРВО ЗАСЕДАНИЕYear:2015Summary:Two references to the Charter were made during that parliamentary session. Both were part of the report of the Legal Affairs Committee (Комисия по правни въпроси) presented before the plenary session and concerning draft amendments in the Criminal Code (Наказателен кодекс). Both were contained in statements of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria (PORB) (Прокуратура на Република България, ПРБ) and concerned drafts submitted by the populist party ATAKA. One draft concerned amendments in the provisions on self-defence, which the PORB considered contradictory to the right to life, enshrined, among others, in Art. 2, item 1 of the Charter. The amendments envisaged broadening of the scope of exemption of criminal liability on the grounds of self-defence. Currently, the self-defense rule applies to cases of defending one’s home against breaking in or entering by force. The new provision would have added to the scope of self-defence the following cases: defending a home, irrespective of its ownership and the way the intruder has entered it; defending any other property, including movable property (e.g. cars); and damages caused to the intruder are the result of special security measures (including technical devices) undertaken by the defending person. The other concerned criminalisation of manifestation of homosexual orientation, which the PORB considered contradictory to the Charter in general..
- Published in: Parlamentskorrespondenz N 2015 116Year:2015Summary:A parliamentary correspondence of 17 February 2015 stated, that there were controversies regarding passenger name record data in the EU-Subcommittee within the Parliament. The plan of the EU Member States’ ministers of the interior also to exchange passenger name record data between EU States led to discrepancies between opposition and government. The Freedom Party, the Green Party, Team Stronach and NEOS strongly spoke against this, while Social Democratic Party of Austria and the Austrian People's Party were for accomplishing a human rights compatible solution. Opposition parties feared a massive violation of the CFR as well as abolishing the presumption of innocence.
- Translated Title:Published in: Стенограми от пленарни заседания ТРИДЕСЕТ И ОСМО ЗАСЕДАНИЕYear:2015Summary:The parliamentary group of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) (Движение за права и свободи, ДПС) presented a declaration, condemning a planned Neo-Nazi march. The declaration stated that the proclamation of Nazi ideology contradicted a number of international human rights standards, including the Charter. The reference to the Charter was general.
- Translated Title:Published in: Beilagen zu den Stenographischen Protokollen des Nationalrates XXV. GP 468Year:2015Summary:In a report of the Parliament's Human Rights Committee on Austria's leading role in abandoning the death penalty, the Charter is mentioned as an additional rule to the ECHR protocols regarding the abolishment of the death penalty.
- Published in: 903 1Year:2015Summary:On 19th January 2015, Deputy Gerry Adams and Deputy Míchéal Martin asked the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) about the Economic Management Council and its role in preparing the Government’s response to the plans of the British Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron, for a referendum on British membership of the European Union. Deputy Adams referred to the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights in this discussion.
Deputy Adams stated: “Another big issue arises in this regard, in so far as the British Prime Minister has indicated he may introduce legislation to make it clear that the British Parliament is sovereign and that British courts are not bound by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This will have profound implications for citizens in the North and, in particular, our ability to use the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union as a defence against punitive British legislation.”
- Published in: Oireachtas debate 31st DáilYear:2014Summary:The Charter is mentioned occasionally during Parliamentary debates. A search for ‘Charter of Fundamental Rights’ in the parliamentary debates during 2014 reveals 38 mentions. Most debates involve a mere mention of the instrument but do not analyse its provisions. It is at times mentioned in parliamentary debates concerning proposed legislation, e.g. General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014
- Translated Title:Published in: SOU. Alm.del Spørgsmål 81Year:2014Summary:A member of the Parliamentary Social Affairs Committee has asked a Committee Question to the Minister of Children, Equality, Integration and Social Affairs related to Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter. The question has not yet been answered.
- Published in: Beilagen zu den Stenographischen Protokollen des Bundesrates IV-78Year:2014Summary:During a debate in Parliament on high-resolution satellite data, a member of the Green party referred to the Charter of Fundamental Rights in discussing a directive proposal by the Commission.
- Published in: Sénat / Journal officiel de la République Française Année 2014 48Year:2014Summary:France, Senate debates on the Bill transposing Directive 2012/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2012 on the right to information in criminal proceedings
- Translated Title:Published in: Druk sejmowy 1900Year:2014Summary:In November 2013, the group of MPs submitted to the Sejm a draft Resolution on the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The aim of the draft was to oblige the Council of Ministers to immediately revoke Protocol 7 to the Lisbon Treaty (the so-called Polish-British Protocol). In April 2014, after voting, the Sejm’s Commission on the European Union recommended dismissal of the draft Resolution on the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- Published in: Стенограми от пленарни заседания СТО И ОСМО ЗАСЕДАНИЕYear:2014Summary:The Charter has featured in following debate on the integration of Roma