The Hindu reports that the EU is calling for action to counter discrimination and violence against homosexuals after the FRA survey revealed many LGBT people are living in fear in the EU.
FRA in the news
EU study: lesbians and gays do not feel safe in Europe
Der Spiegel reports that LGBT people are still discriminated against in Europe, according to the FRA LGBT survey results.
Europe: Fear, isolation, violence among gays and lesbians
dieStandard reports on the FRA LGBT study
Most of the homosexuals are concealing their sexual orientation
Die Zeit online reports that according to the FRA LGBT study a majority of LGBT people are concealing their sexual orientation / identity
Only one out of four dares a coming out
Article about the FRA LGBT survey results in the Süddeutsche Zeitung
We need a national plan against homphobia
Article in Sweden's Aftonbladet on the results of the FRA EU LGBT survey.
Discrimination of homosexuals in the EU
Article about the results of the FRA LGBT study in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ)
Short video report from the FRA EU LGBT survey launch in The Hague by the BBC's Anna Holligan
Half of European homosexuals have felt harassed
Spain's El Pais reports on the results of the FRA EU LGBT survey
Homophobia: EU survey raises the alarm, fear escalates
ANSA reports on the results of the FRA EU LGBT survey
Discrimination: to hold hands a taboo
Kurier reports on the FRA's EU LGBT survey results
EU: 2/3 of homosexuals are scared of holding hands in public with a same-sex partner
Le Point reports on the FRA's EU LGBT survey results
Two thirds of homosexuals are afraid to show their sexual identity in public
Article in Le Monde on the FRA's EU LGBT survey results
BBC News website coverage of the FRA's EU LGBT survey results
The Huffington Post reports on the results of the FRA EU LGBT survey
Deutsche Welle article on the FRA's EU LGBT survey
United Kingdom
17/05/2013
The Daily Mail reports on the launch of the FRA EU LGBT survey results.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports that the FRA EU LGBT survey found that sexual minorities face widespread intolerance and violence across EU countries.
Euronews video report on International Day Against Homophobia and the FRA EU LGBT report launch.
FRA Director, Morten Kjaerum, described the social situation of vulnerable people affected by the crisis during the biennial conference of the European Network for Social Action held in Istanbul earlier this month.
Retention of PNR data from abroad
The European Parliament has rejected the proposal of the European Commission on the use of air travel Passenger Name Record (PNR) data. Critics, such as the European Data Protection Supervisor and the European Agency for Fundamental Rights, have seen a risk to the protection of passenger’s data.
The Government wants to double the maximum ceiling of fines for racial discrimination
A law amendment proposed by the Portuguese government on racial discrimination draws on Fundamental Rights Agency’s findings on victims of discrimination and non-reporting, reports Portuguese daily newspaper Público.
Morten Kjaerum: Roma and the majority population can both benefit when you involve them
FRA Director speaks to Euractiv during his recent visit to Slovakia. He explains what the Fundamental Rights Agency does and how it can help Slovak authorities deal with the human rights challenges they are faced with by calling on FRA data and expertise.
Adriano Silvestri, the main author of the EU’s southern sea borders report, underlines the principle of non-refoulement and calls for better training of border guards and organisations. FRA’s expert also stresses the importance of cooperation with third countries the amount of risks that migrants take in their effort to reach Europe and the need of a better use of Eurosur system, reports Europolitics.
FRA’s report calls for an EU-wide ban on the return of migrants to third countries if this could put them in danger of 'inhuman or degrading' treatment, reports the Parliament.
Europeans, still islamophobes
FRA Director refers to the wealth that minorities may bring to societies, not only in terms of diversity, but also of economic growth. He further comments that discrimination could also be a consequence of the economic crisis, the latter of which, however, should not become an excuse of not fighting against racism and prejudice, reports La Libre.
Member States should balance privacy rights and access to documents says FRA’s expert on data protection Mario Oetheimer to EU Observer. Such a national balance should be clearly reflected in the EU regulation.
Discussion in Brussels on the rise of extremism
Article in Kathimerini about how 22 MEPs put the issue of extremism in Greece on the table, asking the Commission if it or the Fundamental Rights Agency intend to start monitoring the extremist activities in a systematic way and develop a plan to combat this phenomenon.
New Europe reports from the PICUM Conference in Brussels where, FRA expert, Maria Amor Martin Estebanez highlighted the agency’s research on the migrant children’s access to education, healthcare and housing.
Opendemocracy.net reports that in a recent FRA study, as many as one in four Roma (in the Czech Republic, Greece and Poland), Somalis (in Finland and Denmark), and Africans (in Malta and Ireland), said they had experienced hate-motivated violence or serious harassment in the previous 12 months.
Technology interferes with human rights
Slovenian daily Dnevnik writes about the fundamental rights risks of the planned EU border surveillance system EUROSUR. Adriano Silvestri, head of FRA’s research into asylum, migration and borders, discusses the potential advantages and disadvantages of the system with the newspaper.
Europe’s long path to equality
Article in Zeit online reports that while France is amending its laws to allow homosexual couples to marry, research by FRA and other organisations shows that prejudice and discrimination are still widespread in many EU countries.
Lithuania
28/01/2013
The Fundamental Rights Agency expects Lithuania’s EU presidency in the second half of 2013 to focus on hate crimes, reports the Lithuania Tribune.
"National authorities have to act"
The Fundamental Rights Agency can support national authorities in taking action against antisemitism and racism, FRA Director Morten Kjaerum tells Austrian newspaper Kurier.
Opinion article in the English version of Kathimerini about hate crime and its impact on victims, their families and society at large. The article emphasises the need to record, investigate and prosecute such offences, and describes the role of international organisations such as FRA and the OSCE in combatting bias-motivated crimes.
Do not turn a blind eye to hate crimes
Opinion article in Spanish daily newspaper El Pais about hate crime and its impact on victims, their families and society at large. The article emphasises the need to record, investigate and prosecute such offences, and describes the role of international organisations such as FRA and the OSCE in combatting bias-motivated crimes.
Children without papers: the right to attend school
This series of documentaries show the life of a fragmented Eritrean refugee family living in hiding in Sweden. The possibility of continuous schooling has been virtually non-existent for the sons of the family, which through the long flight lost many years of training. FRA Director Morten Kjaerum and FRA expert on the rights of irregular migrants Ann-Charlotte Nygard provide expertise knowledge on the situation of undocumented children in the EU and their right to education to better protect human rights.
In an interview in the “Times of Malta”, the FRA Director speaks about justice and human rights particularly focusing on the need for a judicial reform, which will mean adapting law courts to the digital age.
Report on the debate held on 13 December 2012 at the European Parliament. The discussion focused on the proposal by the European Commission to accord FRA more powers to scrutinise the performance of EU countries in judicial co-operation.
France
07/12/2012
Friso Roscam Abbing, Head of Communication at the FRA
Interview on Radio France Internationale on justice in austerity, the theme of the Fundamental Rights Conference 2012.
More coverage from the Fundamental Rights Conference in New Europe Online
Article on New Europe Online on the new FRA report on access to justice
Coverage of speeches in New Europe Online by European Parliament President Martin Schulz and FRA Director Morten Kjaerum at the Fundamental Rights Conference 2012
Article in New Europe Online on the speech by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, at the Fundamental Rights Conference 2012.
Increasing hate crime in the EU: offences must be punished more sharply
Coverage by Deutsch Türkische Nachrichten of the FRA's two new reports on hate crime
28/11/2012
EU warns of violence against foreigners
Article in Schweizer Fernsehen on the FRA's new hate crime reports
Slovenia
07/11/2012
Our interest is in the protection of human rights and not in the opinion of political leaders
In an interview with the Slovenian newspaper Dnevnik, the Director of FRA talks about the situation of Roma in Europe, asylum, migration, minorites in Slovenia, the Management Board of FRA, FRA’s work and its independent role vis-a vis the Member States and the political leaders.
Article about this year's Diversity Day event held in Barcelona, Spain and supported by the FRA.
Roadmap on Equal Treatment
The European Parliament has published a study that includes a potential equality EU Roadmap for LGBT people. The European Parliament is now awaiting the results of the survey of the Fundamental Rights Agency on the situation of LGBT people in the European Union and Croatia, which will be available in the first half of 2013.
International
25/10/2012
A recent report from the European Agency for Fundamental Rights found that Roma people everywhere face poor living standards compared to their neighbours. Across Europe, about 90 percent of all Roma live below national poverty lines highlights IB Times on an article on Roma discrimination.
The Visit of the Director of Fundamental Rights Agency
The FRA Director and the Slovenian Human Rights Ombudsman agreed on the need of a national human rights institution especially during the current period of crisis, when the rights of vulnerable groups (such as children rights) are most in danger.
Frontex sets up a consultative forum
Article about the role of the Frontex Consultative Forum.
FRA launches new website
Article on www.zonebourse.com
Threatened democracy and human rights in the EU in the future?
Seminar on EU developments for limited press freedom in some countries, discrimination against minorities and the growth of estrema political parties as transmitted by Swedish television program SVT Forums. Includes speech given by FRA Director, Morten Kjaerum at 141 mins.
"EU-Agentur nimmt Stellung" ("The EU Fundamental Rights Agency takes position). Published in the printed version of Kurier, 17 September 2012, page 11.
In reaction to Kurier’s article “Buch nimmt Strache ins Visier”, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency presents its role and its work on the area of Anti-Semitism.
Romania
21/06/2012
Ilze Brands Kehris, FRA: In this difficult economic period, the EU must protect fundamental rights more than ever
Article in Calea Europeana
Portugal
20/06/2012
Portugal had the second highest increase of the wage gap between men and women [in 2011]
Article in Sol
Ethnic discrimination remains a reality
Article in Hrvatska Radiotelevizija
France
20/06/2012
Ethnic discrimination, "a reality across the EU", according to a report
Article in Le Point
Article in Sol
Article in TheParliament.com
EU Not Protecting Mental Health Patients' Rights
Article in YLE Uutiset
Rights of people with intellectual disabilities are not respected in Europe
Article in Liberation
Portugal
07/06/2012
Mentally Disabled in EU Continue to Face Discrimination as Austerity Situation Worsens
Article in Público
Article in EUobserver.com
Voting ban for people with disabilities
Article in Der Standard
Nine out of ten gypsies below the poverty line
Documentary on TVI24
Article in The Economist
The integration of Roma, still pending in Europe
Article in El Mundo
Article in BBC News
Article in Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
23/05/2012
Article in TheParliament.com
Romania
21/05/2012
Morten Kjaerum, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: Discrimination is still rooted in society
Article in Calea Europeana
Prejudice against homosexuals persists in the Czech Republic
Article in Radio Prague
Article in TheParliament.com
EU calls for gathering data on internet to combat homophobia
Article in ABC.es
Article in The Information Daily
Fundamental Rights Agency Director: "The Interior Minister should be alarmed"
Article in Der Standard
Article in TheParliament.com
New EU survey looks at anti-Semitism in Sweden
Article in LivOchRatt.se
Article in EUBusiness.com
Article in TheManilaTimes.net
Article in Human Rights Watch
Half a million may lose their health insurance card
Article in La Vanguardia
08/04/2012
Article in DailyKos.com
Morten Kjaerum: Hundreds of millions of euros of European money unused for the integration of Roma population
Article in CaleaEuropeana.ro
Article in Spiegel Online International
12/12/2011
FRA's Director, Morten Kjærum, summarizes FRA’s activity and findings on sport and discrimination in Europe
