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Europe - new material (53)

01 April 2011

Report on the Application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. European Commission (30.3.11), pp. 11. The Lisbon Treaty legally binds EU institutions to the provisions of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This report covers progress made by the EU in ensuring that “the Charter [is] respected at each-stage of law-making in the EU”. This is the first in a series of annual publications. It notes that a major problem is that while the Commission receives a vast number of letters (approximately 4,000 in 2010) from individuals seeking legal redress, around three-quarters of the complainants’ problems should be dealt with through national institutions, rather than at European level. It thus makes proposals for ensuring that citizens are more aware of their legal rights and the options available for redress within their own countries. According to the report, the chief concerns in 2010 related to “data protection, access to justice, the integration of Roma and promoting equality”. Examples are provided of situations in which the EU has taken action to try and resolve issues in these areas of concern. One of the report’s closing statements is that that an annual report will help to “ensure that the EU maintains an impeccable fundamental rights record”. Available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/policies/rights/docs/com_2011_160_en.pdf