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GRACE: Guaranteeing Rights and Charter Enforcement

Period of implementation: September 2025 – August 2027

The effective protection of fundamental rights is at the core of the European Union. However, the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights remains uneven across Member States. Limited awareness of the Charter among public authorities, insufficient integration into legislative and administrative processes, and low public understanding of its practical relevance continue to weaken its impact. In countries where concerns regarding the rule of law have emerged in recent years, these gaps become particularly significant.

“GRACE – Guaranteeing Rights and Charter Enforcement” is a project funded under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme of the European Union, designed to strengthen the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece.

Strengthening the application of the EU Charter

The project aims to improve knowledge, monitoring, and practical application of the Charter at national level by working closely with public administrations and civil society organisations.

GRACE responds directly to the low awareness and limited use of the Charter in policymaking and governance processes. By combining EU-level expertise with national experience, the project seeks to create sustainable mechanisms that support the consistent promotion and protection of fundamental rights.

CRPE leads the Capacity Building and Advocacy work package, coordinating training programmes and advocacy efforts across the three target countries.

Project Objectives

GRACE aims to:

  1. Increase awareness and understanding of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights among state and local administrations and civil society organisations.
  2. Develop a comprehensive monitoring mechanism, including the establishment of an EU Charter Implementation Index.
  3. Identify gaps in national legislation and practice concerning fundamental rights protection.
  4. Advocate for Charter-friendly regulatory frameworks and the strengthening of national Charter focal points.
  5. Foster cooperation between civil society, public authorities, and EU-level stakeholders to promote a culture of fundamental rights compliance.

Key Activities

  1. Research and needs assessment: comparative analysis of EU best practices and country-specific needs assessments in Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece, focusing on equality, freedom of expression, right to information, and freedom of assembly.
  2. Capacity building: tailored training sessions (for state and local administrations and CSOs) conducted across the three countries to strengthen practical application of the Charter.
  3. Advocacy campaigns: national-level advocacy initiatives addressing regulatory gaps and promoting effective national Charter focal points.
  4. Monitoring and index development: establishment of a structured methodology for assessing Charter implementation.
  5. Stakeholder engagement and dissemination: development of an online course, stakeholder network, and EU-level engagement activities, including a Charter Summer Academy.

Project partners:

Funded by the European Union under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme. Views and opinions expressed are however,those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.