Die Wandlung des Grundrechtsschutzes durch das Bundesverfassungsgericht – Recht auf Vergessen I und II als „Solange III“?

Abstract

The relationship between the fundamental rights as laid down in the German Constitution and the fundamental rights contained in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union has been exceedingly conflict-prone ever since the early days of the European Union. Related thereto is the ongoing controversy on the judicial prerogative of the German Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) within that system. Thus, two big players in the European multi level system, i.e. the BVerfG and the European Court of Justice (ECJ), clash with their judicial powers and diverging interests. With its two recent decisions, 1 BvR 16/13 and 1 BvR 276/17 of November 6, 2019, the First Senate of the BVerfG introduced a far-reaching change in its approach of protecting basic rights by clarifying the relationship between the EU fundamental rights and the fundamental rights of the German Constitution. At the same time, the BVerfG has made a strong effort to maintain its position within the multilevel cooperation of the constitutional courts of EU member states, particularly in relation to the ECJ, which by both sides is referred to as a "cooperative relationship". This article explains the repercussions of the aforementioned judgments on the protection of fundamental rights in the European multi-level system.