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
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Implementing fundamental and human rights helps create a sustainable future.
    Here the EU plays a key role.
    19
    June
    2019
    In 2018, some 2,299 people are estimated to have died or gone missing at sea while crossing the sea to reach Europe to escape war or persecution or to pursue a better life. This is on average more than six people per day. Before mid-2017, a significant share of migrants in distress at sea have been rescued by civil society vessels deployed with a humanitarian mandate to reduce fatalities and bring rescued migrants to safety. In 2018, however, authorities in some Member States viewed civil society-deployed rescue vessels with hostility. As a reaction, they seized rescue vessels, arrested crew members, and initiated legal procedures against them (more than a dozen altogether). In some cases, rescue vessels were blocked in harbours due to flag issues.
    12
    June
    2019
    The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has applied across the European Union (EU) since 25 May 2018. One year on, this paper looks at how the new regulation has affected the daily work of civil society organisations (CSOs).
    6
    June
    2019
    This year’s focus explores the interrelationship between the human and fundamental rights framework and the Sustainable
    Development Goals (SDGs) of the global Agenda 2030 in the context of Member States’ and the EU’s internal policies.
    It takes a closer look at the SDGs related to reducing inequality (SDG 10) and promoting peace, justice and strong
    institutions (SDG 16).
    6
    June
    2019
    The year 2018 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2019 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern. This publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main developments in the thematic areas covered, and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these
    opinions.
    In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty focuses on press freedom and the importance of an independent media for the society.
    22
    March
    2019
    Member States have an explicit duty to promote the Charter’s application. These country-sheets support that effort by giving examples of the Charter’s use and highlighting how it adds value.
    26
    November
    2018
    Civil society organisations play a critical role in democracies, and the importance of their work is widely recognised in international legal and policy documents. However, they face many obstacles when it comes to their day-to-day work. Based on the results of an online consultation with FRA's civil society network, the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP), in September 2018, this paper complements the January 2018 report.
    26
    October
    2018
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights’ 2018 Fundamental Rights Forum
    brought together more than 700 human rights champions at a time of
    widening social divisions and increasingly polarised politics across
    Europe.
    23
    October
    2018
    ES, HU, LT, LV, SK, SL and PT versions now available
    18 November 2020
    As a very modern human rights catalogue containing many rights not found in established bills of rights, the Charter indeed looks good on paper. Those familiar with the main principles of EU law can usually quickly recite that the Charter is always binding on the EU, and binding on Member States only when they are "implementing EU law". But what does this often-quoted language from Article 51 of the Charter actually mean?
    1
    October
    2018
    This note draws attention to the recent trend of criminalising search and rescue operations (SAR) in the Mediterranean Sea carried out by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or other private entities. This includes seizing rescue vessels, as well as arrests for crew members, in some EU Member States. Most of such incidents concerned NGOs operating in the Central Mediterranean Sea.
    1
    October
    2018
    With this Opinion, FRA aims to contribute to the European Parliament's own-initiative report on the “Implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in the EU institutional framework”, being prepared in the Parliament’s Committee for Constitutional Affairs (AFCO). The request aims at understanding the interaction between the Charter’s implementation at national and EU level, and whether there are “instruments, mechanisms and practices” available at EU level to assist Member States to better implement the Charter.
    26
    September
    2018
    These 10 keys sum up the core points
    communicators and practitioners in various fields
    raised in FRA’s expert meetings, practitioners’
    seminars and focus groups in 2017 and 2018.
    This video blog by FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty is released periodically and will address burning fundamental rights themes.
    FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty focuses on ways to push back against challenges to our human rights system.
    6
    June
    2018
    The year 2017 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2018 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern.
    In this third edition of his video blog FRA Director, Michael O'Flaherty, focuses on bolstering our human rights communications to underline why human rights matter to us all.
    18
    January
    2018
    Civil society organisations in the European Union play a crucial role in promoting fundamental rights, but it has become harder for them to do so – due to both legal and practical restrictions. This report looks at the different types and patterns of challenges faced by civil society organisations working on human rights in the EU.
    18
    January
    2018
    Organizace občanské společnosti v Evropské unii hrají klíčovou úlohu při prosazování základních práv, avšak tato činnost je pro ně stále obtížnější z důvodu právních i praktických
    omezení. Problémy existují ve všech členských státech EU, jejich přesná povaha a rozsah se však liší. Údaje a výzkum týkající se této problematiky, včetně srovnávacího výzkumu,
    obecně chybějí.
    Zpráva FRA se proto zabývá různými typy a podobami výzev, jimž organizace občanské společnosti působící v oblasti lidských práv v EU čelí.
    18
    January
    2018
    Civilsamfundsorganisationerne i EU spiller en afgørende rolle med hensyn til at fremme de grundlæggende rettigheder, men det er blevet sværere for dem at gøre det — på grund af
    både lovgivningsmæssige og praktiske begrænsninger. Der er udfordringer i alle EU-medlemsstaterne, men den nøjagtige art og omfanget af dem varierer. Data og forskning om
    denne problemstilling — herunder sammenlignende forskning — savnes generelt.
    FRA’s rapport ser derfor på de forskellige typer og mønstre af udfordringer, som civilsamfundsorganisationer, der arbejder for menneskerettigheder i EU, står over for.
    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.
    On 21 October, FRA presented the interim findings of its project on the role of national bodies with a human rights remit in the monitoring of EU funds at an Equinet workshop.
    On 20 October, FRA Director delivered a keynote speech at a joint meeting of Ariadne and Assifero, the Italian network of foundations of non-banking origin. The event aimed at bringing human rights issues to the attention of Italian foundations and encouraging them to engage with these concerns at national, European, or international levels.
    FRA spoke at a hearing of a European Parliament working group on access to funding for civil society.
    FRA, together with OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), hosted a meeting for intergovernmental organisations and EU institutions on civil society cooperation and support for human rights defenders.
    The heads of ENNHRI, Equinet and FRA met on 12 October in Brussels. They discussed current and upcoming priorities.
    The European Network of Equality Bodies, Equinet, held an online round table on 11 October.
    The FRA Director joined the EU’s Justice Council in Luxembourg on 13 October.
    FRA joined the 10th Strategic Meeting of Mechanisms and Programmes for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
    FRA shared key findings from its civic space work with the Finish Advisory Board on Civil Society Policy (KANE).
    The FRA Director visited The Hague on 4 and 5 October.
    The annual meeting of the Fundamental Rights Platform will take place online on 10 November.
    On 21 October, FRA will add concluding remarks during a launch event on how cities operationalise the Leave no one behind principle in their local policies.
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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.