Fragmentalization of Common Values? Opt-outs from the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

Fragmentace společných hodnot? Výjimky z Listiny základních práv Evropské unie

Helena Bončková and Hubert Smekal

Současná Evropa, 2010, vol. 2010, issue 2, 61-81

Abstract: Fundamental rights in the European Union experienced remarkable development - from their practical absence, through subtle attempts of their concretization, to the legally binding human rights bill. Respect for human rights is considered as one of the values which is common to the Member States and which the European Union is founded on. In spite of the explicitly proclaimed foundation of the European integration the common understanding between Member States as to the concrete form of the foundation is missing. Three Member States - the United Kingdom, Poland and later also the Czech Republic - has negotiated special treatment in relation to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. These opt-outs lead to the reasoned question - why are not the EU Member States able to agree on the common foundation of the European integration? The aim of this article is to draw a comparison between motives of the Member States to negotiate an opt-out from the Charter. Furthermore, the impact of the negotiated opt-outs on the European integration will be discussed, whereas it will be pointed out that according to prevailing legal interpretation of the Protocol the impact of the opt-outs could be absolutely marginal.

Keywords: Protection of fundamental rights; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; common values of the EU Member States; Protocol no. 30; opt-out; process of negotiation; United Kingdom; Poland; Czech Republic; Ochrana základních práv; Listina základních práv Evropské unie; společné hodnoty; Protokol č. 30; výjimka; proces vyjednávání; Spojené království; Polsko; Česká republika (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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