EU law and policies to promote and protect & values as enshrined in the EU treaties & Charter

EU Law and Policies for the Promotion and Protection of Rights and Values, as Enshrined in the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and Their Practical Application

Seminar Structure

Session 1: The EU Human Rights Framework

11:00 – 11:20 | From the European Coal and Steel Community to Today’s European Union

• The need to preserve peace and the evolution of the EU’s “common values” within the Treaties (TEU & TFEU): Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, and the rule of law).
• The adoption of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union: its legal status, the six key chapters (Dignity, Freedoms, Equality, Solidarity, Citizens’ Rights, and Justice), and the importance of Article 51 (when the Charter applies to Member States).
• EU Policies and Strategies: overview of current strategies (e.g. disability rights, LGBTIQ equality, anti-racism initiatives) and the EU’s strategy for strengthening human rights actors.

11:20 – 11:50 | Key Actors and Their Role in Promoting and Protecting Fundamental Rights

• European institutions and bodies: the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Commission, the European Ombudsman, and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
• Civil Society Organisations (CSOs): monitoring, advocacy, strategic litigation, and victim support.
• National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and Equality Bodies, as well as their European networks: their role as independent intermediaries and advisory bodies to the state.
• Ombudsman institutions: addressing maladministration and protecting citizens’ rights in relation to public authorities.
• Member State authorities: the obligation of public administrations and judicial bodies to integrate EU law into everyday practice.

11:50 – 12:00 | Questions & Answers

Session 2: Compliance with the Charter as a Horizontal Enabling Condition for the Disbursement of EU Funds – The Role of Human Rights Bodies

12:00 – 12:20 | Mapping Key Human Rights Actors in the Context of the New EU Funds Management Framework in Greece

• Introduction to the new framework governing the disbursement of EU funds.
• National oversight mechanisms:
  • The role of the National Coordination Authority.
  • Participation of National Human Rights Institutions – the National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR).
  • Monitoring Committees: participation rights, review of programme criteria, and assessment of Charter compliance before funds are disbursed.
• Complaints mechanisms.

12:20 – 12:35 | Break

Session 3: Practical Guide to Submitting a Complaint

12:35 – 12:50 | Complaints Concerning Violations of Fundamental Rights under Article 69(7) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060

• How to link a local rights violation to a specific operational programme priority or funding line.
• Gathering admissible evidence versus relying on emotional rhetoric.
• Parallel monitoring and reporting: submitting complaints through national complaints mechanisms and directly to the European Commission (including DG REGIO and DG EMPL where relevant).

Session 4: Case Studies – From Legislation to Practice

12:50 – 13:10 | Case Study 1: Vulnerable Groups and Institutionalisation

• EU funds allocated to the renovation of segregated residential facilities for children or persons with disabilities, instead of supporting community-based living arrangements.

13:10 – 13:30 | Case Study 2: Artificial Intelligence, Predictive Policing, and Migrants’ Rights

• Regional funding used to procure advanced algorithmic surveillance tools for public spaces or border management without conducting a fundamental rights impact assessment.

13:30 – 13:50 | Case Study 3: Environmental Justice and Social Exclusion

• A large-scale green transition project funded through EU Structural Funds that bypasses meaningful public consultation or disproportionately affects the living conditions of a vulnerable community.

13:50 – 14:00 | Questions, Open Discussion and Closing Remarks

PLATO PROGRAMME

The programme ‘Protecting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law through an open civic space’ (PLATO) aims to protect, promote and raise awareness of EU fundamental rights & values by supporting Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Greece & Cyprus active in these fields, by increasing their knowledge, capacity and sustainability. PLATO is co-funded by the European Union (90% funding rate), through the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values programme* (CERV-2024-CITIZENS-VALUES), and by the Bodossaki Foundation and NGO Support Centre (10% funding rate), with the total grant amounting to €3.1 million. PLATO is coordinated by the Bodossaki Foundation (Greece) in consortium with the NGO Support Centre (Cyprus).

This event will take place in Greek. For further information, please visit the Greek version of this page.