Toward a Community Bill of Rights: The European Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights

This Article considers the Commission's initial step toward a Community bill of rights-its 1979 proposal for accession to the European Convention. That proposal was prompted in large measure by a 1974 decision of the German Constitutional Court. Due to the importance of this rulings for Community human rights jurisprudence, their significance and substance are examined in some detail in Part II of the Article. In Part III, the Council of Europe's European Social Charter is contrasted with the Community Charter, the former document having been signed, though not ratified, by all twelve Community Member States.