European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
From 1 March 2007 the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) became the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (further: Agency or FRA). The seat of the Agency is Vienna (Austria).
FRA website: www.eumc.eu
Objective and tasks of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights
The objective of the Agency is to provide the relevant institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Community and its Member States when implementing Community law with assistance and expertise relating to fundamental rights.
Main tasks of FRA, apart from combating racism and xenophobia, are:
- collecting, recording, analysing and disseminating relevant, objective, reliable and comparable information and data, including results from research and monitoring communicated to it by Member States, Union institutions as well as bodies, offices and agencies of the Community and the Union, research centres, national bodies, non-governmental organisations, third countries and international organisations and in particular by the competent bodies of the Council of Europe;
- developing methods and standards to improve the comparability, objectivity and reliability of data at European level, in cooperation with the Commission and the Member States;
- carrying out, cooperating with or encouraging scientific research and surveys, preparatory studies and feasibility studies, including, where appropriate and compatible with its priorities and its annual work programme, at the request of the European Parliament, the Council or the Commission;
- formulating and publishong conclusions and opinions on specific thematic topics, for the Union institutions and the Member States when implementing Community law, either on its own initiative or at the request of the European Parliament, the Council or the Commission;
- publishing an annual report on fundamental-rights issues covered by the areas of the Agency's activity, also highlighting examples of good practice;
- publishing thematic reports based on its analysis, research and surveys;
- publishing an annual report on its activities;
- developing a communication strategy and promote dialogue with civil society, in order to raise public awareness of fundamental rights and actively disseminate information about its work.
Determining the thematic areas of the Agency's activity
The Agency will carry out its tasks within the thematic areas determined by so-called Multiannual Frameworks. These documents will determine thematic areas of the Agency's activity for a five-year’s period; the fight against racism, xenophobia and related intolerance being always included.
Multiannual Frameworks will be adopted by the Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission and after consulting the European Parliament When preparing its proposal, the Commission will consult the Management Board.
Bodies of the Agency
- Management Board (2 independent persons appointed by Member States (member of the Board and her/his Deputy, two representatives of the Commission and one independent person appointed by the Council of Europe;
- Executive Board (the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson of the Management Board, two other members of the Management Board, one representative of the Commission and one independent person appointed by the Council of Europe
- Director – appointed following a transparent call for applications and selection procedure;
- Scientific Committee – eleven independent persons, highly qualified in the field of fundamental rights, appointed following a transparent call for applications and selection procedure;
- Fundamental Rights Platform – a cooperation network composed of non-governmental organisations dealing with human rights, trade unions and employer's organisations, relevant social and professional organisations, churches, religious, philosophical and non-confessional organisations, universities and other qualified experts of European and international bodies and organisations.
Additionally, in order to ensure close cooperation with Member States, each Member State shall nominate a government official as a National Liaison Officer, who shall be the main contact point for the Agency in the Member State (Art. 8 para 1 of the Regulation)
The National Liaison Officer nominated by Poland is Ms. Inga Rudecka, chief specialist in the Department of European Union and International Cooperation MoI&A, PL leading expert for the works of the Council Working Party on Fundamental Rights.
View list of services