Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    12
    Dezember
    2025
    As the EU prepares to join the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), this report outlines the main changes that accession would bring, offering an overview of the legal and operational implications. Presented in a Q&A format, it provides answers to 19 key questions for legal professionals and a broader audience. It describes the steps needed to conclude accession, the expected benefits for protecting rights, and some of the challenges that may come up. This legal analysis contributes to the current discussions on EU accession.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    8
    Dezember
    2025
    This report examines how human rights impact assessments (HRIAs) are built into lawmaking across the EU and its Member States. It highlights that, although progress has been made, the use of HRIAs remains uneven and often superficial. In many EU countries, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is frequently overlooked. The report identifies insufficient consultation with external experts, limited stakeholder participation and a lack of evaluation once laws are in force. To address these gaps, it offers practical recommendations for more systematic, inclusive and evidence-based HRIAs that strengthen human rights protection and ensure better, more accountable legislation throughout the EU.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    11
    Juli
    2023
    Across the world, human rights defenders protect and uphold human rights in some of the most challenging situations. In some countries they face worrying levels of threats and attacks, intimidation and harassment. This report outlines how human rights defenders can enter and stay in the EU when they need protection. It suggests how EU institutions and Member States could use the flexibility in existing legal provisions and provide shelter for defenders who seek protection.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    19
    Dezember
    2023
    All EU funds must be spent in a way that respect fundamental rights. The EU spends billions of euros on creating jobs, economic growth, sustainable development and improving people’s lives. To prevent funds from being spent in ways that directly violate people’s fundamental rights, the EU strengthened the conditions how funds can be spent in 2021. This report looks at how the newly introduced conditions related to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities can be upheld in practice. It analyses the potential role of national human rights institutions, ombudsperson institutions and equality bodies. These safeguards can advance compliance with fundamental rights.
    Produkte
    In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about the need to push back against the shocking levels of human rights abuse and violation across the world. On the occasion of Human Rights Day, he refers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the need to standing up for human rights.
    In this video, human rights leaders, experts and activists share their views on the human rights impact of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
    11
    November
    2022
    Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history. It is a moment of existential significance for the wellbeing and sustainability of our societies. It is emerging from the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease, only to face a set of major overlapping challenges. These pose profound questions about the political, economic and societal future of the continent. To discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action, FRA brought together a group of sixty human rights leaders and experts with diverse backgrounds
    from across the continent. This report distils the meeting discussions, including analysis and ideas, and concludes with proposals for action. It does not represent the views either of individual participants or of FRA.
    In this video, several human rights leaders, experts and activists share their views on the impact of disinformation on human rights and the ways to address this phenomenon.
    16
    September
    2022
    Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history, facing a convergence of major tests. Each of them taken on their own is significant. Together, they pose profound questions about the political, economic, and societal future of the continent. This is a moment for strong commitment to put human rights at the heart of our vision for Europe’s future. It is also time to demonstrate our determination to work together to this end. Against this backdrop, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) brought together around sixty human rights leaders and experts from across the continent to discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action. A full conference report will be available soon, including the specific ideas and proposals which arose from the meeting. Meanwhile, this is a summary of the conclusions.
    19
    August
    2022
    Die Charta der Grundrechte der Europäischen Union (im Folgenden „Charta“) ist der Grundrechtekatalog der EU. Die Organe und Einrichtungen sowie die Mitgliedstaaten der EU sind immer dann an die Charta gebunden, wenn sie im Rahmen des EU-Rechts handeln. Es ist jedoch alles andere als einfach zu beurteilen, ob ein konkreter Fall in den Anwendungsbereich des EU-Rechts fällt. Aus diesem Grund ist es wichtig, dass Angehörigen der Rechtsberufe Schulungen und Schulungsmaterial zur Verfügung stehen, damit sie den in Artikel 51 der Charta festgelegten Anwendungsbereich verstehen können. Das vorliegende Handbuch für Ausbilder soll als Anleitung für die Organisation und Durchführung solcher Schulungen auf der Grundlage einer Reihe von Fallstudien dienen, die in Zukunft erweitert werden.
    19
    August
    2022
    Die zivilgesellschaftlichen Organisationen stehen in der gesamten Europäischen Union vor unterschiedlichen Herausforderungen. Der im September 2021 veröffentlichte Bericht der FRA über den Schutz des zivilgesellschaftlichen Raums in der EU enthält die Ergebnisse der Agentur zu diesen Herausforderungen. Die vorliegende Zusammenfassung stellt die wichtigsten Ergebnisse und FRA-Stellungnahmen aus dem Bericht vor.
    19
    Juli
    2022
    Civil society is a key component of Europe’s fundamental rights architecture. From supporting people affected by the pandemic to helping those fleeing the war in Ukraine, civil society plays a crucial role in upholding people’s rights. In so doing, it contributes to a healthy rule of law culture. FRA’s civic space report provides an overview of the many ways in which civil society contributes to the checks and balances that underpin the rule of law.
    29
    Juni
    2022
    Since September 2021, two National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) had a change in their accreditation status, one applied for accreditation and five have had a change in tasks covered by their mandates. This new 2022 update provides an overview of developments in the accreditation status and mandates of NHRIs from September 2021 to May 2022. It is a follow up of FRA’s 2020 report on ‘Strong and effective national human rights institutions – challenges, promising practices and opportunities’ and the September 2021 update. It covers the 27 EU Member States and three candidate countries (Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia).
    In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about the EU’s response to the war in Ukraine. He argues that it is only if we all work together, with human rights as our roadmap, that we can make our way towards a peaceful future.
    8
    Juni
    2022
    FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2022 reviews major developments in the field in 2021, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
    8
    Juni
    2022
    This focus looks at the impact of the pandemic on social rights. It examines the measures in national recovery and resilience plans that address the social vulnerabilities among a variety of population groups in the EU, including women, children and young people in situations of vulnerability, people with disabilities, older people, Roma and people in precarious working conditions.
    8
    Juni
    2022
    Das Jahr 2021 brachte in Bezug auf den Schutz der Grundrechte sowohl Fortschritte als auch Rückschritte. Der Grundrechte-Bericht 2022 der FRA untersucht maßgebliche Entwicklungen auf diesem Gebiet und zeigt sowohl Erfolge als auch verbleibende Problembereiche auf. Darüber hinaus enthält der Bericht die Stellungnahmen der FRA zu den wichtigsten Entwicklungen in den jeweiligen Themenbereichen und fasst die Informationen, die diesen Stellungnahmen zugrunde liegen, zusammen. Er bietet damit einen kompakten und informativen Überblick über die größten grundrechtlichen Herausforderungen, mit denen die EU und ihre Mitgliedstaaten konfrontiert sind.
    27
    April
    2022
    Dieser Leitfaden dient als Orientierungshilfe für Städte, die ihre Bemühungen um die Verwirklichung der Menschenrechte intensivieren möchten. Ziel ist es, Städte und Gemeinden bei der Anwendung höherer Menschenrechtsstandards zu unterstützen. Der Grundgedanke besteht darin, das gegenseitige Lernen im Bereich der Menschen- und Grundrechte anzuregen und zu fördern. Die Agentur der Europäischen Union für Grundrechte (FRA), eine Gruppe von Menschenrechtsstädten und verschiedene Fachleute in der EU haben bei der Erstellung dieses Leitfadens zusammengearbeitet. Der Leitfaden stützt sich auf vielversprechende Praktiken und Erfahrungen von Städten und Regionen, Expertinnen und Experten, internationalen Organisationen und Netzwerken, die im Bericht der FRA „Menschenrechtsstädte in der EU: Ein Rahmen zur Stärkung der Rechte auf lokaler Ebene“ zu finden sind.
    14
    April
    2022
    Noch nie war es so wichtig, für Menschenrechte einzutreten! Aber wie? Wie bringt man Menschen zusammen und verschafft sich Gehör?
    In the internet age, information travels faster and further than ever before. But so does disinformation, feeding off rumours, prejudices and stereotypes. How can we tackle it? Watch FRA’s practical guide on how to go about tackling disinformation using +INPUT – be positive, identify, narrate, pioneer, unite and track.
    The Fundamental Rights Forum is the space for dialogue on human rights challenges facing the EU today.
    The Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, welcomes the launch of the Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea), the merger of the European Foundation Centre (EFC) and the Donors and Foundations Networks in Europe (Dafne), on 7 December 2021.
    The Fundamental Rights Forum is the space for dialogue on human rights challenges facing the EU today.
    Highlights from the Fundamental Rights Forum 2021 – Michael O’Flaherty on the Forum as a roadmap for a vision of hope.