歐洲聯盟基本權之發展係一漫長的過程，這是因為歐盟條約中僅有少數條文涉及基本自由及基本權之規定，最為顯著的即為勞工遷徒自由及男女薪資平等待遇。雖然此，歐洲法院自一九六九年的Stauder案件開始，即不斷地努力於基本權保障的體系化，重要的憲法上的原理原則，包括比例原則、基本內容（重要內容Wesensgehalt）保障、言論自由等均逐步地產生，此一趨勢尤其是在德國聯邦憲法法院一九七四年的「只要判決1（Solange I-Entscheidung）」後更為加速地進行。歐洲聯盟對於基本權的保護，在二○○三年歐盟基本權憲章生效後，步入了一個新的紀元。惟學者間通說仍然以為必須將歐盟基本權憲章修訂入歐盟約中、或制定成「歐盟憲法條約」、或直接制定成「歐盟憲法」，該憲章始會取得憲法效力。無論如何，將來歐盟基本權憲章以任何一種方式取得憲法效力時，仍然必須釐清「誰是基本權保障的最後守護神」及是否有必要設置一「歐洲憲法法院」或「歐洲最高法院」之問題。而在歐盟基本權憲章取得憲法效力之前，歐洲法院仍然必須深化基本權之論理探討，包括基本權係防禦權與參與權、對於基本權之限制與比例原則之適用、以及基本權之第三人效力問題。至於在歐盟基本權與會員國基本權的互動方面，應以共同成長的心態彼此攜手合作。同樣地，歐盟基本權對於會員國的基本權僅是原則上具有優先效力，仍然必須與會員國基本權的保障水準相符始可。如此，始能確保歐盟人民獲得所屬國家及歐洲聯盟之雙重的基本權保障。

The development of fundamental rights in the European Union (E U) became a longstanding process due to the fact that only a few articles in the Treaty of the European Union (Treaty of Maastricht) regulate fundamental freedom and rights. For example, regulations governing freedom of migration (freedom of movement) of laborers and equal treatment between man and woman are notable articles of fundamental rights. Since the case of Stauder in 1969, the European Court of Justice started to make every endeavor consistently to establish a comprehensive framework for the protection of fundamental rights. Important constitutional principles and rules including the proportional principle, the protection of fundamental content (Wesensgehalt) and freedom of speech were gradually carried into effect successively. After “l (Solange I-Entscheidung)” made by the German Federal Constitutional Court in 1974, the trend of the constitutional movement progressed more rapidly. A new era of the protection of fundamental rights in the EU has been inaugurated since the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union came into effect in 2003. However, in order to constitutionalize the Charter, European scholars generally considered three options: to amend the Treaty of the E U to include the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the E U, to institute the Treaty of the E U Constitution and to enact the E U Constitution. While the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the E U is to be constituted by adopting one of the above-mentioned options, further discussoins may help determine ‘who the “last guardian angel for the protection of fundamental rights” is’ and “if it is necessary to found the ‘European Court of Constitution’ or the ‘European Highest Court of Justice.” In advance of constitu-tionalizing the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the E U, the European Court of Justice needs to delve into the theorem of fundamental rights, including fundamental rights’ relation to defensive and participation right, restriction on fundamental rights, the application of the propo-rtional principle, and the third party effect of fundamental rights. It is advisable that the member countries cooperate with one another to promote improvement and coordination of the fundamental rights of the E U and fundamental rights of the Member countries. In principle, the fundamental rights of the E U take priority of those of the Member countries. However, the fundamental rights of the E U must correspond to their level of protection in the Member countries so as to ensure a dual protection for fundamental rights by the E U and the Member countries for the people of the E U.