EU funding plays an important role in economic development, social cohesion and innovation in Europe. At the same time, Member States are obliged to ensure that these funds are used in accordance with the fundamental rights of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

In practice, however, implementing these requirements is not always easy. Administrative authorities sometimes lack knowledge about their fundamental rights obligations, while human rights institutions and civil society organisations often do not have sufficient knowledge of the complex EU funding structures. These gaps make it difficult to fully exploit the potential of EU funds as a tool for protecting and promoting fundamental rights.

Against this backdrop, a new website has been developed as part of the EU-funded project “ECHOFunds – Enhancing Charter Compliance of EU Funds”. The freely accessible online materials provide clear and practical information on EU funding structures, decision-making processes and how to ensure compliance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights when using EU funds.

The project raises awareness of fundamental rights in the context of EU funding, promotes exchange between relevant actors and collects good practices from different countries. The website serves as a central resource for pooling knowledge and supporting the implementation of fundamental rights in EU funding practice. The results of the project should help EU funding to better realise its potential for promoting fundamental rights in practice.