Fundamental rights

U.S. Supreme Court Opens Doors for Waiting Children to be Adopted

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Constitutional law, Fundamental rights, Rights

"Today's decision protects children's interests, but it stops short of explicitly recognizing that children possess independent interests that deserve constitutional protection."

Key Points: 
  • "Today's decision protects children's interests, but it stops short of explicitly recognizing that children possess independent interests that deserve constitutional protection."
  • "The Supreme Court has recognized the right to marry and the right to have a family as fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution to all Americans.
  • "If individuals' interests in family formation are protected, the Court should acknowledge that those interests are not exclusive to adults."
  • When the Court finally acknowledges that foster children are protected by the constitution, policies that hinder, harm or impede prospects for adoption will need to be eliminated.

Highlights - Public Hearing on Amazon and fundamental workers' rights and freedoms - Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Articles, Labor, Austerity, Bargaining theory, Collective bargaining, Policy, Amazon, Privacy law, Labor rights, Fundamental rights

Retail Warehouse full of Shelves with Goods in Cardboard Boxes, Workers Scan and Sort Packages, Move Inventory with Pallet Trucks and Forklifts image used under the license from Adobe Stock

Key Points: 
  • Retail Warehouse full of Shelves with Goods in Cardboard Boxes, Workers Scan and Sort Packages, Move Inventory with Pallet Trucks and Forklifts image used under the license from Adobe Stock
    On 27 May (13.45 - 15.45), the EMPL Committee will hold the Hearing Amazon attacks on fundamental workers' rights and freedoms: freedom of assembly and association and the right to collective bargain and action.
  • The Hearing aims to examine, and get a better understanding of, reports revealed in the media about Amazon potentially monitoring its workers as well as other business and workplace practices, which might be in breach of European labour, data and privacy laws.
  • The Hearing also aims to identify the impact of these alleged activities on the fundamental rights of assembly, association, collective bargaining and action.

Press release - Polish de facto ban on abortion puts women’s lives at risk, says Parliament

Retrieved on: 
Friday, November 27, 2020
Articles, Constitutional law, Rights, Women's rights, Human rights, Fundamental rights

Womens rights are fundamental human rights

Key Points: 
  • Womens rights are fundamental human rights

    Parliament underscores that, in line with the European Court of Human Rights case law, restrictive abortion laws violate womens human rights.

  • MEPs agree that unhindered and timely access to reproductive health services and respect for womens reproductive autonomy and decision-making is critical to protecting womens human rights and gender equality.
  • Womens rights are fundamental rights, states the Chamber, recalling that the EU institutions and the member states are legally obliged to uphold and protect them.
  • According to the Parliament, the Tribunals composition constitutes grounds for challenging its rulings and thus its ability to uphold the Polish Constitution.

Presentation of the Fundamental Rights Report 2020 and the Fundamental Rights Survey to Member States

Retrieved on: 
Friday, July 10, 2020
Constitutional law, Fundamental rights, Rights, Law, Fundamental Rights Agency, Social issues, Human rights

On 23 June, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty presented the key findings of the Fundamental Rights Report 2020 to the Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP) of the Council of the EU.

Key Points: 
  • On 23 June, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty presented the key findings of the Fundamental Rights Report 2020 to the Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP) of the Council of the EU.
  • FRAs Fundamental Rights Report 2020 reflects on the developments and shortfalls of human rights protection in the EU in 2019.
  • Its focus section highlights how the EUs Fundamental Rights Charter has gained visibility and sparked a new fundamental rights culture at EU level.
  • FRA will also present key results from the Fundamental Rights Survey, based on the report What do fundamental rights mean for people in the EU?

The EESC publishes a report on national developments in the area of fundamental rights and the rule of law from a civil society perspective

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Law, Economy of the European Union, European Economic and Social Committee, Human rights, Freedom of the press, Freedom of information laws by country, Freedom of association, Fundamental rights, Government

The EESC publishes a report on national developments in the area of fundamental rights and the rule of law from a civil society perspectiveFreedom of association, including the right of civil society organisations to freely conduct their activities, and access to funding are shown to have been under particular strain.

Key Points: 

The EESC publishes a report on national developments in the area of fundamental rights and the rule of law from a civil society perspective

    • Freedom of association, including the right of civil society organisations to freely conduct their activities, and access to funding are shown to have been under particular strain.
    • Some of the key challenges to the freedom of the media, the right to information and freedom of expression are also listed.
    • The report includes summaries of the FRRL Group's visits to Romania, Poland, Hungary, France, Austria, Bulgaria and Italy, where it held multiple exchanges with stakeholders.
    • These stakeholders were mainly representatives of civil society organisations but also included legal and media professionals.
    • Meetings with national authorities took place during the visits and they were asked to comment in addition on the observations made by civil society.
    • The FRRL Group was set up in 2018 amid concerns that fundamental rights and the rule of law were under threat in the EU.
    • The Group was charged with the task of monitoring the values that were central to the European project.

COVID-19 underlines importance of strong fundamental rights protection

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Articles, Culture, Human rights, Philosophy, Politics, Fundamental rights

Growing intolerance and attacks on peoples fundamental rights continue to erode the considerable progress achieved over the years, finds FRAs Fundamental Rights Report 2020.

Key Points: 
  • Growing intolerance and attacks on peoples fundamental rights continue to erode the considerable progress achieved over the years, finds FRAs Fundamental Rights Report 2020.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and will continue to have, a profound impact on the fundamental rights of everyone across the EU.
  • FRAs Fundamental Rights Report 2020 reflects on the developments and shortfalls of human rights protection in the EU over the past year.
  • Its focus section highlights how the EUs Fundamental Rights Charter has gained visibility and sparked a new fundamental rights culture at EU level.

FRA and Frontex to work together on developing fundamental rights monitors

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Organizations, International organizations, Political philosophy, European Border and Coast Guard, European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Agencies of the European Union, Fundamental rights in India, European Union, Fundamental rights

Today, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) signed an agreement on developing Frontex's fundamental rights monitors.

Key Points: 
  • Today, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) signed an agreement on developing Frontex's fundamental rights monitors.
  • The fundamental rights monitors are an important preventive tool and FRA will provide its fundamental rights expertise to help establish them.
  • Under this agreement, the Fundamental Rights Agency will help develop a comprehensive manual for the future Fundamental Rights Monitors.
  • To guarantee independence, the monitors should work under the overall supervision of the Frontex Fundamental Rights Officer (FRO) and be able to monitor all Frontex activities.

Article - European Charter of Fundamental Rights: five things you need to know

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 2, 2019
Articles, Law, Politics, Political charters, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Fundamental rights, European Union, Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Human rights in Canada

What rights does the EU charter guarantee?

Key Points: 

What rights does the EU charter guarantee?

The charter contains 54 articles that ensure the rights and freedoms of EU citizens in these areas:

The charter has been expanded to cover fundamental rights that go beyond just civil and social rights including:

International privacy guardians urge legislators to reaffirm commitment to privacy as a right and value in itself

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 28, 2019
Human rights, Data security, Social issues, Law, Digital rights, Data protection, Identity management, Privacy, Information privacy, Fundamental rights, Medical privacy, Privacy law

Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien and his international counterparts have adopted a resolution on privacy as a fundamental human right and precondition for exercising other fundamental rights in Tirana, Albania at the 41thInternational Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners.

Key Points: 
  • Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien and his international counterparts have adopted a resolution on privacy as a fundamental human right and precondition for exercising other fundamental rights in Tirana, Albania at the 41thInternational Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners.
  • The United Nations declared privacy an inalienable and universal human right in 1948, and in 1966 the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights reaffirmed the central role that privacy plays in democracy.
  • "This resolution plays an important next step in the commitment to privacy as a fundamental human right worldwide," says Commissioner Therrien.
  • It calls on governments to reaffirm a strong commitment to privacy as a right and value in itself, and to ensure legal protections.