Decision 2007/252 - For the period 2007-2013 the specific programme Fundamental rights and citizenship as part of the General programme Fundamental Rights and Justice - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 110/33

The European Union is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law, principles which are common to the Member States.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2), bearing in mind its status and scope and the accompanying explanations, reflects the rights as they result, in particular, from the constitutional traditions and international obligations common to the Member States, the Treaty on European Union, the Community Treaties, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the social charters adopted by the Community and by the Council of Europe and the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Communities and of the European Court of Human Rights.

In November 2004 the European Council recognised the importance of communication to bring all persons close to the European project by encouraging an active citizenship.

In its Communication of 15 October 2003 to the Council and the European Parliament on Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union, the Commission underlined the importance of the role that civil society plays both in protecting and promoting fundamental rights; the Commission therefore should establish an open, transparent and regular dialogue with civil society.

According to The Hague Programme, strengthening mutual cooperation requires an explicit effort to improve mutual understanding among judicial authorities and different legal systems. European networks of national public authorities should deserve special attention and support in this respect.

The Conference of the European Constitutional Courts and the Association of the Councils of State and Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the European Union contribute, in particular by maintaining relevant databases, to an exchange of views and experience on matters concerning the case-law, organisation and functioning of their Members in the performance of their judicial and advisory functions with regard to Community law. It ought to be possible to co-finance the activities of the Conference and the Association to the extent that the expenditure is incurred in pursuing an objective of general European interest. However, such co-financing should not imply that a future programme would cover such networks, nor should it prejudice other European networks from benefiting from support to their activities in accordance with this Decision.

It is appropriate to stress the importance of information and communication with respect to the rights that citizenship of the Union confers on its citizens to improve their awareness of their rights and to provide them with easy access to reliable information.

Fostering an interfaith and multicultural dialogue at the level of the European Union would contribute to preserving and strengthening peace and fundamental rights.

The objectives of the programme should be complementary to those of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights established by Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 (3), and should focus on those areas where European added-value can be engendered. Appropriate...