Charter of Fundamental Rights in the times of constitutional crisis

15-16 June 2018. Another two seminars for judges on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights took place. This time organized by INPRIS in cooperation with the Judges Association THEMIS in Paszkówka, near Krakow.

Seminars are conducted in the form of workshops. After being introduced to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the possibility of its application, judges work on prepared case studies.

With the content of the Charter and its application, we combine the issue of referring preliminary ruling questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union. On the basis of the case scenarios prepared, judges decide whether the Charter applies to the case, whether the court should direct the question for a preliminary ruling and how to formulate it.

Judges honestly admit that the EU law, the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the questions for preliminary ruling are still new to them and they have no relevant experience in the application of the CFR. They emphasize the need for training in this area.

The seminar was attended by judges from district, regional and administrative courts from the Krakow region but also other places (Katowice, Łódź, Opole, Warsaw).

Seminars are held as part of the international project "Judging the Charter" co-financed by the European Union and the Stefan Batory Foundation.