On Friday 6 March, the European ministers meeting in the EU ‘Justice’ Council approved conclusions on the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, following the Commission’s Annual Report 2025 on its implementation.
The conclusions make cooperation between the European institutions, the Member States and other stakeholders, in particular civil society organisations and human rights defenders, a priority, in order to strengthen the application of the Charter throughout the EU.
Nevertheless, the ministers argued that further efforts were needed at national, regional and local level to improve awareness, understanding and application of this text within the Member States.
To this end, an exchange of views was held with the Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Sirpa Rautio, to discuss ways of better applying the Charter in order to protect and promote fundamental rights.
Adopted in 2000 and made legally binding in 2009 with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the Charter of Fundamental Rights aims to ensure a set of personal, civic, political, economic and social rights based on human dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity, citizens’ rights and justice. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)