Systems

Support for human rights systems and defenders

Many organisations work to defend your rights. We help their efforts with independent evidence, advice and expertise.

We support their frontline work. And we shine a light on potential risks and priority areas. Together we make your rights a reality.

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    19
    December
    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.
  • Periodic updates / Series
    6
    February
    2024
    The 2024 update on NHRIs accreditation status and mandates also covers their engagement in the monitoring of fundamental rights compliance in the use of EU funds at national level. Moreover, the update also shows how NHRIs make use of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in their work when advising government or in education, training and awareness raising activities. Since its 2020 report 'Strong and effective national human rights institutions – challenges, promising practices and opportunities', the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has been regularly tracking the accreditation status and mandates of NHRIs.
  • Periodic updates / Series
    18
    October
    2023
    Civil society organisations struggle to maintain an environment safe from threats and attacks. FRA’s sixth annual update on civic space explores the challenges for organisations across the EU. While there has been significant development since FRA began monitoring the situation in 2018, civil society organisations remain under immense pressure. Abusive lawsuits and attacks against those involved in migrant search and rescue at sea are just some of the challenges identified. This report presents ways forward to protect civil society and human rights.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    11
    October
    2021
    This report proposes a framework for becoming, and functioning as, a ‘human rights city’ in the EU. It includes ‘foundations’, ‘structures’ and ‘tools’ for mayors, local administrations and grassroots organisations to reinforce fundamental rights locally. It is based on existing good practice and expert input by representatives of human rights cities in the EU, academic experts, international organisations and city networks.
Products
11
June
2020
FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020 reviews major developments in the field in 2019, 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. This year’s focus chapter explores how to unlock the full potential of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Greece needs solid, sustained support and solidarity as it faces great migration challenges, says FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty after 2 days of meetings in Athens with authorities.
February
2020
In today’s media landscape the way in which journalists and editors receive, process and publish news is constantly changing. Journalists face immense time pressure, as news frequently breaks online To facilitate training on the coverage of migration news, this Trainer’s Manual is a tool to be used together with the e-Media Toolkit.
In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty speaks about the importance and power of hope accompanying the work of FRA in 2020. Particularly after a troubled start of the year.
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue and its chapter about Freedoms.
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue and its chapter about Equality.
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue and its chapter about Solidarity.
The European Union Fundamental Rights Information System EFRIS is a Human Rights Gateway, bringing together data and information from existing human rights databases, and enables viewing and analysis of relevant assessments of fundamental rights in the EU.
Improve law and policies by always checking the applicability of the Charter!
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue and its chapters starting with Dignity.
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue! The Charter celebrates this year its 10th anniversary since it became legally binding!
12
November
2019
The Charter is most effective, and has a real impact on people’s lives, when parliaments, governments and courts at local, regional and national levels all actively apply it. The national sphere is particularly relevant. A strong fundamental rights architecture and committed national governments and parliaments are key to letting the Charter unfold its potential at this level. Civil society organisations (CSOs) and national human rights institutions (NHRIs) are also crucial given their contributions to the protection and promotion of Charter rights.
This video, shot at the recent Human Rights Communicators' Network Workshop, highlights many comments from the inspirational discussions on how elements of FRA's 10 keys to effectively communicate human rights can influence our day-to-day work.
Talk by Sarah Wishart of Rights Info at the Human Rights Communicators' Workshop held at FRA on 3-4 October 2019.
Talk by Szczepan Orlowski of Animorph at the Human Rights Communicators' Workshop held at FRA on 3-4 October 2019.
Talk by Flavia Kleiner of Operation Libero to the Human Rights Communicators' Workshop held at FRA on 3-4 October 2019.
FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty gave the opening talk at the Human Rights Communicators' Workshop held at the Agency on 3-4 October 2019.
In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty focuses on the migration situation in the Mediterranean Sea and makes three proposals.
Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ten years after the UN’s Disability Convention entered into force, 2018 saw it continue
to drive advances in disability rights across the EU.
Fundamental Rights Report 2019: The Charter of Fundamental Rights is the EU’s bill of human rights. These rights and principles have to be respected and promoted by EU institutions and Member States whenever they act within EU law. Approaching the Charter’s 10th anniversary, Member States do not yet make full use of the potential it offers.
FRA held its regular meeting with the National Liaison Officers (NLOs) online on 23 March.
FRA participated in the first meeting in 2023 of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies’ Network in Valetta on 17 March.
The Executive Director of the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL), Montserrat Marin López, and the Executive Director of the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA), Nina Gregori, presented the highlights and priorities of the outgoing and incoming presidencies of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies’ Network (JHAAN) at the European Parliament today.
The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights’ updated Charter app promises a one-stop-shop for fundamental rights for mobile devices.
The EFRIS advisory group brings together the main partners in the EU Fundamental Rights Information System (EFRIS) project.
Many cities throughout the European Union hosted people fleeing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. To gauge how cities addressed Europe largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) approached selected cities in the EU.
FRA’s Director took part in the informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers on 26 and 27 January in Stockholm.
The recently-elected Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders, Michel Forst, met FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty on 19 January in Vienna.
On Human Rights Day, 10 December, the FRA Director delivered the annual distinguished guest lecture at Leiden University.
On 16 December, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty spoke at the launch of the OECD’s first global report on the protection and promotion of civic space.
On 7 December, FRA contributed to annual Human Rights celebration organised by the municipality of Vienna and the Vienna Human Rights Office.
FRA provided training on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights to law drafters in Finland. It was part of a training course on fundamental and human rights when drafting laws.
FRA contributed to a two-day multi-stakeholder dialogue conference on civic space.
On 22 and 23 November, the FRA Director met with Swedish government officials in Stockholm in the run-up to the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
On 5 December representatives from the EEA and Norway Grants and FRA had their annual cooperation meeting in Vienna.
The nine EU Agencies active in the field of freedom, security and justice convened today in Budapest for a high-level meeting, chaired by CEPOL, to take stock of the main achievements in 2022, which includes the ongoing engagement with Ukraine and Moldova.
On 17 November, the FRA Director had bilateral meetings at the European Parliament.
On 22 November, the Council of the EU hosted a training session on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights for Justice and Home Affairs Councillors.
On 10 November, FRA hosted the annual meeting of the Fundamental Rights Platform.
On 24 – 25 October, FRA took part in the EIGE Gender Equality Forum, organised by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in Brussels.
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FRA will hold its regular meeting with the National Liaison Officers in Vienna.
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From 6 to 7 October, FRA will host an expert event on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in Vienna.
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FRA’s Director will visit the Council of Europe on 10-11 October in Strasbourg.
FRA will speak at the European Economic and Social Committee’s (EESC) annual conference on fundamental rights and the rule of law.
On 28 September, FRA will welcome a delegation of law students from ELSA Jena in Germany.
On 29 September, FRA will welcome a delegation of students from the Volda University in Norway.
On 6 September, FRA management will meet a Council of Europe delegation.
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FRA will host a high-level meeting of fundamental rights leaders and experts in Rust, Austria from 7 to 8 September.
On 1 September, a delegation of students will visit FRA from the Stichting Libertas International.
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FRA will contribute to a retreat on building a European civic space at the European Forum Alpbach from 31 August to 2 September.
On 31 August, FRA’s Director will be one of the panellists at this year’s European Forum Alpbach.
On 2 September, FRA will participate in a national round-table discussion on how to ensure fundamental rights compliance when using EU funds.
On 14 July, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty will present the Fundamental Rights Report 2022 to the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
FRA will exchange views with Human Dimension experts from the EU Delegation and EU Member States Permanent Representations to the OSCE.
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FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty will meet State Secretaries and staff of the German Justice and Interior Ministries on 31 May.
On 16 May, FRA will welcome a delegation of fellows from the Western Balkans Fellowship Programme.
FRA and the CIVEX Commission of the European Committee of the Regions will host on online training event on 19 May.
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The agency’s Executive Board and Management Board will convene on 19 and 20 May in Vienna.
FRA will provide training on the EU’s Fundamental Rights Charter for staff of several Croatian ministries.
On 16 May, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty will meet the OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media Teresa Ribeiro.