On Monday 7 October, the European Ministers of Justice adopted the EU Council’s conclusions on the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (see EUROPE 12335/10). What is special about this year: the conclusions focus on the tenth anniversary of the Charter's application.
Noting that public awareness of the Charter remains low, the EU Council placed particular emphasis in its text on awareness-raising and training, inviting Member States to strengthen their activities for all key stakeholders, including policymakers, officials, and lawyers, as well as national human rights institutions and civil society organisations.
The conclusions also hailed the work of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and recognised the essential role of civil society organisations in raising awareness and supporting citizens in exercising their rights.
In an exchange of views with FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty, the Ministers also discussed the major challenges ahead in the field of fundamental rights, especially digitisation and the use of artificial intelligence. They also stressed that the EU and Member States should step up their efforts to combat discrimination and hate speech online.
See the adopted conclusions: https://bit.ly/2MkBVST (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)