In October 2018, FRA published a handbook on how to apply the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in law and policymaking at national level. The handbook is a guide on how and when the Charter applies and targets national law- and policy-makers, i.e., those working in governments, parliaments, and regional and local authorities.

In its various chapters, the handbook first provides a general orientation on the EU system of fundamental rights and explains how the Charter relates to national and international fundamental rights instruments. An outline with reasons for checking whether the Charter applies is provided. Furthermore, the handbook explains how to check whether the Charter applies, in which situations the charter applies, and how it is applied. In addition, the handbook contains practical tools such as a checklist on the applicability of the Charter and a Charter compliance check.