Table listing the members of the Convention responsible for drafting the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, chaired by Roman Herzog, former President of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).

On 17 December 1999, Roman Herzog of Germany, former President of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), is elected Chairman of the Convention entrusted with the task of drawing up the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

On 17 December 1999, António Vitorino, Representative of Romano Prodi, President of the Commission, at the Convention responsible for drafting the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, delivers an address at the opening session of the Convention in Brussels.

On 20 June 2000, Robert Badinter, member of the French Socialist Party in the Convention and former Justice Minister, analyses the implications of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

On 17 August 2000, Silvio Marcus Helmons, Professor at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL), where he directs the Centre of Human Rights, considers the implications of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

On 2 October 2000, at the formal session of the Convention responsible for drafting the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, António Vitorino, Representative of the European Commission at the Convention, emphasises the Commission’s full support for the draft Charter.

On 9 October 2000, Jean-François Caré, International Director, Metalworkers’ Section, in the French General Confederation of Labour (CGT), Pierre Pranchère, former Communist MEP, Pierre Lévy, journalist for the Communist daily newspaper L’Humanité, and Georges Sarre, Deputy Leader of the Mouvement des Citoyens (Citizens’ Movement) political party, publish a joint article in the French daily newspaper Le Monde in which they deplore the weaknesses and dangers of the European Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.

On 11 October 2000, the Praesidium of the Convention responsible for drafting the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights publishes a note aimed at explaining certain provisions of the Charter.

On 16 October 2000, in the French daily newspaper Le Monde, Guy Braibant, Hubert Haenel and François Loncle, French MPs and members of the Convention, publish an article in which they emphasise the importance of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

On 30 November 2000, the daily newspaper El País reports on the fate of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Continued disagreement between the EU Member States in the run-up to the Nice European Summit prevents this Charter from being incorporated into the Treaty, with opposition coming from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. The Charter is proclaimed in Nice, but it does not become legally binding. The decision-making system also gives rise to discussion and disagreement. Decisions therefore continue to be adopted unanimously, rather than by a qualified majority. The veto is maintained for issues relating to tax, social policy, cohesion, immigration and commercial policy, which could lead to situations of stalemate for the European Union in the event of future enlargements.

Am Rande des Europäischen Gipfels von Nizza vom 7. bis zum 9. Dezember 2000 organisiert die Europäische Bewegung am 6. Dezember im Rahmen des „Dialogs über Europa" ein Forum der pro-europäischen Zivilgesellschaft. Gemeinsam mit dem ehemaligen Präsidenten des Europäischen Parlaments José Maria Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado, dem Vorsitzenden der Plattform der Europäischen Nichtregierungsorganisationen des sozialen Sektors Giampiera Alhadef und dem Sprecher des Ständigen Forums der Zivilgesellschaft Pier Virgilio Dastoli diskutieren junge Aktivisten über die Fortschritte und die Mängel der Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union.

On 7 December 2000, on the margins of the opening of the Nice European Council, the Heads of State or Government of the Fifteen sign the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. From left to right: Nicole Fontaine, President of the European Parliament, Hubert Védrine, French Foreign Minister, and Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission.

Am Rande der feierlichen Eröffnung des Europäischen Rates von Nizza unterzeichnen die Staats- und Regierungschefs der fünfzehn Mitgliedstaaten am 7. Dezember 2000 die Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union. Von rechts nach links: Nicole Fontaine, Präsidentin des Europäischen Parlaments, Hubert Védrine, französischer Außenminister und amtierender Vorsitzender im Rat der Europäischen Union, und Romano Prodi, Präsident der Europäischen Kommission.

On 1 May 2001, Catherine Lalumière, substitute member of the European Parliament Delegation to the Convention responsible for drawing up the European Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, explains why she believes that the Charter should not remain a declaration of political intent but, on the contrary, should be integrated into the Community treaties, thereby securing legal credibility for it.

Dans cet article, Jean Baechler, professeur de sociologie historique à l'Université de Paris IV Sorbonne, publie dans la revue française Commentaire un article dans lequel il critique les méthodes d'élaboration et les dispositions de la Charte des droits fondamentaux de l'Union européenne.

In diesem Interview erläutert Catherine Lalumière, ehemaliges Mitglied des Europäischen Parlaments und ehemaliges Stellvertretendes Mitglied im Konvent zur Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union, die Arbeitsmethode, die in den Jahren 1999 und 2000 von den Konventsmitgliedern angewandt wurde, und verleiht ihrer Befriedigung über die erzielten Ergebnisse Ausdruck.