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.

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My body, my choice: protecting women's sexual and reproductive health and rights

Event
Hearing of the Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group
EESC, Rue Belliard 99, 1040 Brussels
Brussels and on line
Belgium

Recent developments in the US and some European countries have shown that rights acquired by women are not irreversible. This particularly applies to sexual and reproductive health and rights. These questions are a matter of individual rights but also of public health, as sexual and reproductive health services are an essential part of comprehensive healthcare provision. Societal debates on the questions tend more and more towards polarisation, at the expense of women who can become deprived of their free and informed choice. The hearing will gather the view of civil society on these developments.

06/12/2022

Annual Conference on Fundamental rights and the Rule of Law - Putting the Rule of Law Report recommendations into action

Event
Conference
EESC, Room JDE 62 and online | 10:00 - 17:30 | Rue Belliard 99, 1040
Brussels
Belgium

The EESC FRRL Group's annual conference will provide a platform for debate of the European Commission's third Report on the Rule of Law (July 2022), which for the first time entails country specific recommendations.

It will gather EESC Members, civil society representatives (including social partners), EU institutions and other stakeholders to discuss the main developments in the EU in the area of fundamental rights and the rule of law over the past year.

On the occasion of the conference, the FRRL Group will issue its second synthesis report covering the visits carried out in 2020-2021.

26/09/2022

Communicating fundamental rights and the rule of law

Event
Interactio and Room JDE63, EESC, Rue Belliard 99, 1040 | 10:00 - 13:00
Brussels
Belgium

Over the last years, the EU founding values have been increasingly challenged, making the consensus on which they are based seem more fragile than ever. While the EU has addressed these threats by becoming more active in defence of democracy, fundamental rights, the rule of law, discourses have also risen portraying such action as political battles based on unclear or relative criteria.

Participants in the hearing will discuss how to address this phenomenon, and more generally how to better communicate fundamental rights and the rule of law to the whole population.

18/07/2022

Improving equality in the EU

Event
Room VMA3, VMA building, Rue Van Maerlant 2, 1040
Brussels
Belgium

The EU has adopted legislation covering various grounds of discrimination in a variety of policy areas, in particular employment, to meet its aim of combating all forms of discrimination. However, gaps still exist as Member States have not yet agreed on a horizontal Directive on non-discrimination outside of the labour market proposed in 2008.

This hearing with the participation of EU institutions and civil society organisations in the framework of the preparation of an EESC own-initiative aims at closing the gaps and identifying ways to improve equality in Europe, including with an Equal Treatment Directive.

25/05/2022

Towards a Europe free of violence against women

Event
Room VMA3, EESC building, Rue Van Maerlant 2, 1040
Brussels
Belgium

In order to prepare its opinion on the Commission proposal for a directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, the EESC is organising a hybrid public hearing on 21 April 2022 from 9:30 am to 1 pm.

The aim of the event is to gather input from civil society, including social partners and academia as well other EU Institutions and international organisations.

Your participation and input are most welcome!

21/04/2022

Civil Society Days 2022

Event
The EU as a driver of shared prosperity – civil society for an economy that works for people & the planet
HYBRID EVENT • EESC
Brussels
Belgium

While Europe and its societies are still in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic and with the Conference on the Future of Europe in its closing stages, the EESC will be holding its annual Civil Society Days in March 2022.

15/03/2022 17/03/2022

Safeguarding fundamental rights in the digital age

Event
Rue Belliard 99, 1040 Bruxelles/Brussel
Brussels (and on line)
Belgium

The conference is a joint European Commission-EESC event to discuss the annual report on the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, issued by the Commission in December 2021.

11/02/2022

The Recovery and the Rule of Law

Event
Rue Belliard 99/101, 1040
Brussels
Belgium

At this hearing we will explore how the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation, adopted last year, is taken into account in the ongoing implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

29/10/2021

Civil Society Organisations: Key Actors for the Future of Europe

Event
Diversity Europe Group conference on the state of associations, organised in partnership with Civil Society Europe
Brussels
Belgium

The conference is being organised by the Diversity Europe Group, in partnership with Civil Society Europe and with the support of the EESC's Civil Society Liaison Group and the Associational Life Category.

Registrations for external participants are open on this page until 2 November 2021.

05/11/2021

Empowering civil society, rights defenders and justice practitioners and strengthening awareness of Charter rights

Event
Rue Belliard 99
Brussels
Belgium

To improve the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights it is necessary to empower civil society organisations, rights defenders and justice practitioners, and strengthen people’s awareness of their rights under the Charter. CSOs and social partners are operating at grassroots levels and can help spread awareness and foster implementation. Moreover, the social partners have a special role in contributing to the implementation and defence of socio-economic fundamental rights.

20/04/2021

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