Conceptualization of Human Dignity in European Union Law
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21564/2225-6555.2026.29.361142Keywords:
human dignity, EU values, general principles, human rights, EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, judicial interpretation, EU lawAbstract
The purpose of this article is to conduct an interdisciplinary study of the formation and development of the legal regulation of human dignity in the context of European integration. Human dignity is defined as a phenomenon with numerous manifestations that encompasses various legal frameworks. Although all elements of human dignity are disclosed and enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, this concept is also invoked to strengthen and enrich EU law as a whole. The research employs interdisciplinary and terminological approaches, as well as dialectical, hermeneutic, historical-legal, comparative-legal, systemic-functional methods, and the method of legal modeling. Particular emphasis is placed on the potential of dignity as a guideline for legal interpretation and for shaping sustainable development policies within a united Europe. The case law examined in the article demonstrates that the Court of Justice of the European Union refers to dignity in cases related to various areas of legal regulation. The article highlights the importance of the activities of the Court of Justice of the European Union in interpreting human dignity as a fundamental value underlying the organization and functioning of the EU, as a general principle of law, and as an individual subjective right. Problematic issues concerning the relationship between the values enshrined in the Treaty on European Union and the rights guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union are addressed. The significance of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in the formation and development of EU legal regulation in the field of human rights is emphasized. The importance of enshrining human dignity at the level of the founding treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union is substantiated. The theoretical generalizations and conclusions obtained within the framework of the research are based on the analysis of a wide range of doctrinal sources, as well as acts of international human rights law, primary and secondary EU law, EU soft law acts, and the constitutional legislation of individual states. The results of the study may be useful for conducting comparative legal research aimed at identifying approaches to the normative consolidation of human dignity in international law, European Union law, and the law of the Council of Europe; comparing the positions of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights on this issue; and improving domestic human rights legislation.
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