This paper contains a comment on the new Charter of Fundamentals Rights proclaimed at the Nice European Council (7 December 2000). The discussions on this new Charter have made it clear that some Member States are reluctant to accept that the EU has its own responsibilities in the protection of these rights and principles. The fear that the institutions will use the Charter as an excuse for expanding the influence of European law and politics has clearly blurred the view of many; in that sense the Charter may still become a missed opportunity. The author concludes that the 2000 Charter will not directly affect workers' rights at the national level, nor will it lead to immediate changes in the judicial protection of workers in the European Union however; the Charter may serve as a source of inspiration for further EU action.
International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations