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Objectives
The Annual General Meeting 2025 of the Fundamental Rights Platform aims to:
- inform the Platform organisations of ongoing and upcoming activities of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA);
- building on the upcoming EU Civil Society Strategy, reflect on how to best support, protect and empower civil society in Europe in collaboration with the Platform organisations, the European Commission and other strategic European and international partners;
- help connect the Platform organisations with one another, with counterparts in the Agency, and in the EU institutions;
- consult with the Platform on the Agency’s Fundamental Rights Report 2026.
Context
More than 1,000 organisations from across Europe working on human rights participate in the Fundamental Rights Platform. These organisations contribute to a European Union that is built on fundamental rights, democracy and rule of law. Many of these organisations, however, continue to find themselves under pressure across Europe facing legal, operational and financial obstacles.
On 12 November, the European Commission presented the European Democracy Shield, in synergy with an EU Strategy for Civil Society. It is a pleasure to announce that Michael McGrath, the European Commissioner responsible for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, will join us to present some key aspects and concrete deliverables from this landmark document. We invite you to follow, and exchange with, a panel of civil society leaders and high-level representatives of EU institutions to discuss how we can all work together to bring the EU Strategy for Civil Society to life. The meeting will be opened by the Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, Sirpa Rautio.
Day 1 of this meeting will focus on the EU Strategy for Civil Society that responds to the broad civil society call from 2024 for EU action to support, protect and empower civil society actors. The Strategy is in synergy with the European Democracy Shield, another major initiative by the Commission, which aims to address the evolving challenges to the EU democratic systems and thus to protect and strengthen democracies, making them more resilient. The panel From plan to action — how can we work together to support the implementation of the EU Strategy for Civil Society? will explore how we can work together to bring this Strategy to life.
On Day 2, the Agency will have an exchange with the Platform on its activities and seek feedback from the participants on the thematic chapters of its Fundamental Rights Report 2026.
This meeting is open to all organisations that have registered with the Fundamental Rights Platform as well as to the partners of the Agency, including for example the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), international organisations working closely with civil society (COE, OHCHR, OECD, OGP, etc.), and the European Network of NHRIs (ENNHRI).
The discussions at this meeting will be moderated by Jacki Davis, a journalist and editor, and a Senior Adviser to the think tank European Policy Centre.
Programme
Day 1 – Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Format: online
09:30-09:45 – Annual General Meeting of the Fundamental Rights Platform opens – overview of the agenda and introduction of the speakers
09:45-10:00 – Welcome note by Sirpa Rautio, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights
10:00-10:20 – Conversation with Michael McGrath, European Commissioner responsible for democracy, justice, the rule of law and consumer protection
10:20-11:50 – Panel discussion: From plan to action – how can we work together to support the implementation of the EU Strategy for Civil Society? The panel discussion is followed by a plenary exchange.
Panelists:
- Ingrid Bellander Todino – is Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST). She leads the European Commission's policy work to protect and promote fundamental rights.
- Veronika Móra – is Director of the Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation Ökotárs. As Co-President of European Civic Forum she led the civil society call for an EU Civil Society Strategy.
- Cinzia del Rio – is the President of the Section on Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC) at the European Economic and Social Committee and a Rapporteur on the EU Civil Society Strategy.
- Dr Emmanuel Achiri – is Policy and Advocacy Advisor at ENAR, the pan-European anti-racism network; he holds a PhD degree in international migration law and is a co-founder of VOIS Cyprus.
- Andreas Accardo – is Head of Institutional Cooperation and EU Charter Unit at the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. He leads the Agency’s work on building and developing partnerships, as well as the programmes on the EU Charter.
11:50-12:00 Reflections from Day 1 and conclusions; outlook for Day 2
Day 2 – Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Format: online
10:00-10:05 – Opening of Day 2: Introduction of the agenda and speakers
10:05-10:20 – Annual reporting on Platform activities and outlook 2026 by FRP Project Manager Ene Patterson, FRA
10:20-11:20 – Fundamental Rights Report 2026
Presentation of the Report and collecting feedback on the thematic chapters (in working groups):
- Digital age: balancing opportunities and threats in governance and accountability;
- Housing crisis and people experiencing homelessness;
- Employment challenges and exploitation of migrants, immigrants and displaced people;
- EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
11:20-11:50 – Presentation of FRA’s Brussels Liaison Office and its activities by its Head of Office Friso Roscam Abbing, FRA
11:50-12:00 – Conclusions from the Annual General Meeting 2025 and next steps.
About the Fundamental Rights Platform
The Fundamental Rights Platform is the main cooperation channel between the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and civil society organisations. The Platform was established under Art. 10 of the Agency’s Founding Regulation (Council Regulation (EC), No 168/2007 of 15 February 2007, amended on 5 April 2022.
Registration with the Platform is free and open to all civil society organisations working to advance fundamental (human) rights in Europe. To join the Platform please sign up using the registration form available here.
Currently, more than 1,000 organisations – active on local, regional, national or EU/international level – from the EU Member States and FRA’s observer countries participate in the Platform. The list of organisations registered in the Platform can be consulted here. These organisations are regularly called upon to share their insights to inform FRA’s work. In addition to regular exchanges (through webinars, workshops, roundtables, consultations), the Platform organisations gather for an Annual General Meeting.