#1: Europe’s Foundation and its Future: The EU Charter in Focus

On paper, the fundamental rights found in the EU Charter have undergone a remarkable journey, evolving from soft general principles of law into a transformative force shaping EU law. And while legal experts are well-aware of the foundational role the Charter plays within the EU, it has failed to become a document that European citizens have embraced as their own. This symposium, edited by Jakob Gašperin Wischhoff, is the first of several that aim to change this. Featuring legal scholars and practitioners examining the most pressing questions surrounding the Charter, we will show both its transformative force as well as areas where its potential is yet to be fully realized.

#2: Eyes Everywhere: Surveillance and Data Retention under the EU Charter

In La Quadrature Du Net II, the CJEU significantly lowered standards for mass data retention under the EU Charter, prioritizing security over privacy. The Symposium brings together European and international scholars and practitioners to explore how this shift may affect EU citizens’ protection of fundamental rights and substantially redefine the surveillance and data retention framework for public and private agents.

Co-edited by Erik Tuchtfeld, Isabella Risini, and Jakob Gašperin Wischhoff.

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#3: Musk, Power, and the EU: Can EU Law Tackle the Challenges of Unchecked Plutocracy?

At a time when calls for the EU to respond to Musk’s actions are multiplying, the question of whether, why, and how the EU may react remains largely undefined. What makes Musk’s conduct problematic under EU law? Is it a matter of disinformation, electoral integrity, foreign influence, unprecedented market concentration, or possible abuse of power? Or is it all of the above, or a combination of these factors? This symposium intends to explore these questions through a series of brief opinion pieces.

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#4: Animal Rights: The Role of the EU Charter

Animals remain largely absent from EU legal discourse – especially when it comes to the Charter of Fundamental Rights. This symposium asks whether the Charter could become a catalyst for stronger animal protection across Member States, exploring questions of legal standing, rights, and the EU’s evolving relationship with non-human life. Co-edited by Ester Herlin-Karnell and Matilda Arvidsson.

#5: Mapping Article 13: Academic and Scientific Freedom under the EU Charter

Academic freedom is under pressure. Though protected by Article 13 of the EU Charter, this article received practically no or very little attention in both scholarship and EU institutional and jurisprudential practice. As legal and political developments accelerate, the meaning of this right is taking shape in real time. This symposium puts Article 13 in the spotlight and reflects its potential in light of past and present threats to academic freedom. Co-edited by Vasiliki Kosta and Marie Müller-Elmau.

#6: In Good Faith: Freedom of Religion under Article 10 of the EU Charter

Freedom of religion, its interaction with the prohibition of discrimination, and the self-determination of churches are embedded in a complex national and European constitutional framework and remain as pertinent and contested as ever. This symposium examines the latest significant developments from an EU perspective, placing freedom of religion at the centre of analysis and critically assessing its operationalisation and interpretation in light of the EU Charter. Co-edited by Jakob Gašperin Wischhoff and Till Stadtbäumer.