Balance of Competences Fundamental Rights Review

Overview

The Balance of Competences Review was announced by the Foreign Secretary William Hague in July 2012 to examine the balance of competences between the UK and the European Union.
 
The Review is an audit of what the EU does, and how it affects government and the general public in the UK. This piece of work will deepen our understanding of EU membership, and help shape the UK’s policies in relation to the EU.
 
The Balance of Competences Fundamental Rights Review examines the balance of competences between the UK and the European Union on fundamental rights.
 
Fundamental rights are protections or guarantees for individuals that are built into the EU’s legal system. They set out basic freedoms and rights that anyone can expect, such as the right to freedom of expression and freedom to pursue a trade or profession.
 
We are seeking evidence from lawyers, non-governmental organisations and the public, on the impact of this competence on their own area of expertise.
 
The Call for Evidence is structured around a series of questions including looking at the impact of the EU’s overarching fundamental rights competence, its advantages and disadvantages for the UK and what future challenges and opportunities there are in respect of fundamental rights.
 
Anyone wishing to contribute can do so via this online tool or by sending their evidence/views to fundamentalrightsBOC@justice.gsi.gov.uk.uk.

Your evidence should be objective, factual information about the impact or effect of the competence in your area of expertise, including relevant citations and the source of the evidence where available.

This is a response from a previous review showing how your response could be styled.

Document

Call for Evidence on the Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union - Fundamental Rights (PDF)

Events

We are hosting a number of discussion events in November in London, Edinburgh and Brussels. These events are free to attend and places will be limited (we may need to restrict representation to one attendee per organisation to ensure a wide range of views).

To register your interest for one of these discussions email fundamentalrightsBOC@justice.gsi.gov.uk, stating which location you wish to attend, as soon as possible.

If stakeholders in Northern Ireland wish to contribute to a discussion event please contact fundamentalrightsBOC@justice.gsi.gov.uk

Webchat

We will holding a web chat about the Review on Wednesday, 18 December 12.30-1.15pm, for professionals and interest groups in the field of EU fundamental rights - please email fundamentalrightsBoC@justice.gsi.gov.uk to register by 10am, Monday 16th December if you wish to take part.

What happens next

A report on the outcome of the review will be published by autumn 2014.

Following the close of the Call for Evidence, a report on the Balance of Competences on Fundamental Rights and what this means for the national interest will be published in summer 2014.