Eftersom chartret finder anvendelse på EU, betyder det, at EU inden for rammerne af sine uddannelsespolitikker skal respektere, at obligatorisk skolegang skal være gratis, men det skaber naturligvis ikke nye kompetenceområder.  
Insofar as the Charter applies to the Union, this means that in its training policies the Union must respect free compulsory education, but this does not, of course, create new powers.  