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The Sinews of Peace: Rights to Solidarity in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
Author(s) -
Menéndez Agustín José
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
ratio juris
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.344
H-Index - 10
eISSN - 1467-9337
pISSN - 0952-1917
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9337.00241
Subject(s) - solidarity , fundamental rights , political science , charter , right to property , international human rights law , property rights , linguistic rights , law , law and economics , human rights , reservation of rights , social rights , sociology , politics
Abstract. This article examines the provisions on social and economic rights contained in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. After a conceptual clarification of the terms “fundamental rights” and “rights to solidarity,” three main claims are made. First, not all rights to solidarity are granted the status of fundamental rights in the Charter, in contrast with the treatment of the right to private property. Second, positive law does not justify such an approach. An analysis of the sources of the Charter clearly indicates that the right to private property is not a proper fundamental right as Community law stands. Third, rights to solidarity could be construed as a repository of arguments that Member States and regions could invoke when claiming an exception to the four fundamental freedoms.