Report on application of EU Charter of Fundamental Rights focuses on funding of initiatives that reinforce EU values

The European Commission has published its annual report on the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. This year's report focuses on how the Charter is enforced through EU funding directed towards promoting, protecting and enforcing fundamental rights across the EU. The report shows that throughout this mandate, the Commission has strengthened its efforts to channel funding toward initiatives that reinforce EU values and safeguard fundamental rights, including through managing the substantially increased budget of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. The rules applicable to cohesion policy funding also contain a horizontal enabling condition related to the Charter, which requires Member States to put in place effective mechanisms so that the implementation of their funding programmes complies with the Charter.

Transparency and Values Vice President Věra Jourová (pictured) said: “Funding is an important tool to render fundamental rights' provisions into practical solutions that benefit all people. Despite considerable financial support made available by the EU and international public and private donors, not enough funds reach fundamental rights actors. We must therefore intensify our efforts to address the challenges highlighted in this report and make funding more accessible”.

Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said: “This year's annual report on the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights shows that the EU has successfully continued to promote the rights of the Charter through dedicated funding programmes. This included efforts to help maintain an open civic space. I encourage other EU institutions, Member States, and stakeholders to use the report as basis for discussions on how fundamental rights activities are funded.”

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union enshrines the fundamental rights citizens enjoy in the EU. Following the Charter strategy, since 2021, the annual Charter reports focus on thematic areas of strategic relevance governed by EU law. More information on the annual Charter reports can be found online.

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