Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. 2014 report on the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

This fifth annual report reviews how the European Union and its Member States gave effect to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in 2014.

The Charter has been legally binding since 1 December 2009. It is binding on EU institutions when enacting new measures. It binds Member States when they act within the scope of EU law. As a young source of law, the Charter has steadily gained legal importance. In 2014, 210 decisions in EU Courts quoted the Charter, compared with 43 in 2011, 87 in 2012 and 114 in 2013.

The Commission mainstreams the Charter in all its policies. It works closely with national, European and international organisations to ensure promotion of fundamental rights.

This report reviews the application of the Charter by and to EU institutions - the European Commission in particular - and Member States. It highlights the importance of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) and provides an update on EU accession to it. For the first time, the report includes a section on a topical emerging issue: this year ‘fundamental rights in the digital environment’.

EUR-Lex: COM(2015)191: Follow the progress of this report through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2015:191:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2015)99: Staff Working Document on the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in 2014 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2015:099:FIN

ESO: Background information: EU Charter places fundamental rights at the heart of EU policies http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-eu-charter-places-fundamental-rights-at-the-heart-of-eu-policies/

European Commission: 2014 report on the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (book version) http://dx.publications.europa.eu/10.2838/93760

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