The EU's charter of fundamental rights - five years on

On 1 December 2014, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union turns five years old.

It is already advanced for its age and is mixing well with its older peers in international, EU and national legal systems.

The Charter became legally binding across the EU when the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force in 2009 - but its life started much earlier.

It was drafted back in 1999/2000 with the participation of EU and national parliamentarians and input from civil ...