Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law

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The EU is not only a common market; it is a union of common values that shape the European identity. These values are set out in the Treaty on the European Union and also include the rights, freedoms and principles laid out in the Charter of Fundamental Rights: the "indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity; [the Union] is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law. It places the individual at the heart of its activities, by establishing the citizenship of the Union and by creating an area of freedom, security and justice."

The Charter brings together into a single text all the personal, civic, political, economic and social rights enjoyed by people within the EU and apply to the EU institutions and Member States when they implement EU law.

The EESC is very active in the promotion of fundamental rights, the rule of law and democracy, and especially in the fight against discrimination based on race, ethnic origin, disability or gender. In 2018, it established the Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law to further expand analysis of the situation across Europe and promote a constructive dialogue amongst all stakeholders.

  • Despite being recognised as a constitutional principle of the EU, participatory democracy in Europe is still largely unstructured, with no formal institutional agreements that would allow citizens and civil society organisations to directly contribute to the development of EU policies

     

  • Dans un contexte de montée du populisme et de l’autoritarisme dans toute l’Europe, les organisations de la société civile sont confrontées à une hostilité croissante. Face aux contraintes financières, aux campagnes de dénigrement, aux attaques politiques et aux obstacles juridiques et administratifs, elles ont besoin d’un soutien renforcé sur tous les fronts pour pouvoir jouer leur rôle essentiel, qui est de rendre nos sociétés plus ouvertes, plus responsables et plus justes.

  • Civil society organisations (CSOs) must be recognised, involved and supported as partners that defend and strengthen European democracy and contribute to a functioning rule of law culture.

  • In its March plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion urging the European Institutions to address the fragmented implementation of foreign policy sanctions across Member States. The EESC is concerned about the inconsistency in standards and in the application of sanctions in national legislation, and is calling for immediate action to protect humanitarian aid and journalists in sanctioned regimes.

  • Conference on 'Civil society organisations defending and strengthening European democracy' organised by the EESC's Civil Society Organisations' Group

  • Reference number
    15/2023

    Le 23 mars dernier, le Comité économique et social européen (CESE) a tenu un débat en plénière et il a adopté une résolution intitulée «Unie pour la démocratie» visant à renforcer les valeurs démocratiques dans l’ensemble de l’Union européenne. Les décideurs politiques, les experts et les représentants de la société civile organisée ont convenu que l’éducation civique, un meilleur financement des partenaires sociaux et l’accent mis sur la dimension locale étaient essentiels à la démocratie en Europe.

  • Reference number
    65/2022

    The EESC Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group held a public hearing on protecting women's sexual and reproductive health and rights. Participants in the debate called for free health services, access to contraception, more inclusive policies, and reproductive and sexual education. This debate was organised in collaboration with the EESC Equality Group as part of a series of EESC events following up on the European Parliament's Gender Equality Week initiative.

  • EESC plenary debate linked to the adoption of the opinions SOC/726 on Combatting violence against women and SOC/731 on Gender equality, with Christina Fabre, Team leader on gender-based violence, European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).

  • «L’état de droit: pourquoi s’en préoccuper?», telle était la question soumise à la réflexion des participants à une audition organisée conjointement par le groupe «Droits fondamentaux et état de droit» du CESE et l’Association internationale du barreau (IBA) le 6 juillet 2022 à Bratislava, en Slovaquie.

  • L’apprentissage tout au long de la vie est pour l’avenir une garantie d’emplois et de niveaux de vie décents. Toutefois, une étude du CESE indique qu’en l’absence d’un système normalisé dans toute l’UE, tous les travailleurs n’auront pas la possibilité de se reconvertir ou se perfectionner au cours de leur carrière