The European Commission published the annual report on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights which highlights that fundamental rights concerns are increasingly embedded in EU policy-making. The report is part of the Commission's efforts to raise people's awareness of the Charter, when it applies, and the role of EU institutions in the field of fundamental rights.

The European Commission's second annual report to raise people's awareness of the Charter, when it applies, and the role of EU institutions in the field of fundamental rights, stresses that fundamental rights concerns are increasingly embedded in EU policy-making. Since the 1 December 2009, when the Lisbon Treaty entered into force, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union became legally binding.

In addition, the report shows the compatibility of the Commission's proposals with the Charter. The primary role of the Charter is to guarantee that the EU institutions respect fundamental rights in preparing new European laws. For example, in 2011, this helped ensure that EU rules on the use of security scanners at airports respect the fundamental rights to protection of personal data, private life and dignity.

For its part, the Commission also ensures that the Charter is respected when Member States implement EU law. In 2011, the Commission expressed its concerns about the independence of Hungary’s data protection authority and measures regarding the retirement age of judges, prosecutors and public notaries. The Commission began infringement proceedings to ensure that Hungary satisfies all of its legal concerns. On the other hand, the EU Court of Justice increasingly refers to the Charter, notably in landmark decisions on sex discrimination and Internet privacy.