Charter of fundamental rights of the EU : 20 years after its proclamation and 10 years after its entry into force as law

Abstract

December 2019 will mark the 10th anniversary of the EU Charter becoming an integral and binding part of EU primary law. Over these ten years, we have witnessed a new commitment to a “fundamental rights culture” at EU level and a Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that has moved towards becoming a fundamental rights court. What is the contribution of the Charter in this regard? What is the role and potential of the Charter in protecting and promoting democracy in the EU, at the local, national and European levels? And what has been the role, if at all, of the Charter during the financial crisis and the wave of austerity-inspired policy-making? Did, and does, the Charter make a substantial difference to law and policy-making at EU level? And what about the ‘life of the Charter’ at national level, has it made a difference?