The European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: Two Roads to One Common Goal

Abstract

The established level of protection of basic human rights and freedoms is a key indicator of democracy and the rule of law in every European country. For decades, the Council of Europe, the European Union and the governments of the member states have pursued a consistent policy of creating and implementing various legal instruments to guarantee the fulfillment of this indicator. It is in implementation of this policy that the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU were adopted: two fundamental acts that fundamentally changed the legal systems of the countries in Europe. Although adopted in different systems, these two acts pursue a common goal: achieving real protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms. This report presents a brief analysis of the stated common goal of the two acts and its practical implementation through the judicial activities of the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the EU.