I artikel 51 i charteret står der dog, at dets bestemmelser er rettet mod Unionens institutioner, organer, kontorer og agenturer under iagttagelse af nærhedsprincippet samt mod medlemsstaterne, dog kun når de gennemfører EU-retten.
However, Article 51 of the Charter states that its provisions are addressed to the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the EU, with due regard for the principle of subsidiarity, and to the Member States only when they are implementing EU law.