Newsroom

Michael O'Flaherty
FRA Director address a Peer Learning Activity under the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU on 22 June 2021 on a rights-based approach to youth policies.
The FRA Director will exchange views with the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on inhumane prison conditions in the EU - before and during the pandemic.
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Over two days, human rights communicators will gather for their annual network meeting to share know-how and expertise. This year, the focus will be on tackling disinformation.
FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty addressed the European Economic and Social Committee’s Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship Section on 21 June. He presented different FRA tools that can support EESC members in their work.
Over 70 representatives from EU Member States, EU and UN agencies took part in a migrant children expert group meeting on 24 June.
FRA presented key findings at two events from its latest Coronavirus Bulletin on ensuring fair and equal access to vaccines for all. The first took place on 23 June, during a webinar hosted by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
FRA joined other EU justice and home affairs agencies in a European Commission meeting on the new 2021-2027 HOME Funds. The funds include the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund, the Border Management and Visa Instrument, and the Internal Security Fund.
Irregular migrants can fall victim to exploitative employers. The EU has rules to protect migrant workers in an irregular situation from exploitation and abuse, but gaps remain in their enforcement, finds a new report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Workers do not know their rights or how to complain, and even when they do, they may not receive compensation due. EU countries should do better to protect migrant workers’ rights under existing EU rules.
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The FRA Director will visit the Netherlands from 23 to 25 June. He will meet the head of the European Commission Representation in The Hague, Didier Herbert, representatives of civil society organisations and FRA’s Dutch Management Board member, Rick Lawson on 23 June.
On 22 June, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty will speak about young people as agents of change during a youth conference organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU.
The European Guardianship Network will discuss on 22 June the training materials for guardians that FRA and its contractor Defence for Children International Italy are developing. The draft manual targets trainers of guardians. The content covers ten modules.
FRA will speak on 22 June during an online workshop on human rights-based public services.
FRA will host a national round-table discussion on 21 June on the role of the Fundamental Rights Charter in the EU. The European Commission Representation in Malta is FRA’s partner for the event.
On World Refugee Day on 20 June, the Council of Europe and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) are joining forces to strengthen their cooperation on human rights protection at the European borders.
So far this year, almost five people per day on average died crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe, estimates the International Organization for Migration. Ahead of World Refugee Day 2021, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights points to ongoing difficulties facing civil society rescue efforts in the Mediterranean, complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
FRA will introduce findings from its Getting the future rights – artificial intelligence and fundamental rights report during the ENISA Annual Privacy Forum.
FRA invites Slovenian civil society organisations active in its civil society network, the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP), for an online exchange on 18 June.
On 17 June, FRA meets with Roma and pro-Roma civil society, as part of its civil society cooperation mechanism, the Fundamental Rights Platform.
FRA will take part in a meeting of the European Commission’s subgroup on national action plans against racism.
On 16 June, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights publishes the seventh of its bulletins on the fundamental rights impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In his vlog FRA Director draws attention to fundamental rights issues related to the roll out of the vaccines in the EU 27 Member States.