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Work on rights
Giustizia, diritti delle vittime e cooperazione giudiziaria
Diritti delle vittime
Diritti degli imputati
Giustizia civile
Cooperazione giudiziaria e stato di diritto
Sicurezza
Imprese e diritti umani
Uguaglianza, non discriminazione e razzismo
Bambini, ragazzi e anziani
Persone con disabilità
Reati generati dall’odio
Origine razziale e etnica
Religione e credenze
Rom
Sesso, orientamento sessuale e genere
Asilo, migrazione e frontiere
Accesso all’asilo
Frontiere e sistemi di informazione
Protezione dei minori
Migrazione irregolare, rientro e trattenimento nel contesto dell’immigrazione
Migrazione legale e integrazione
Tratta degli esseri umani e sfruttamento della manodopera
Protezione dei dati, vita privata e nuove tecnologie
Intelligenza artificiale e megadati
Frontiere e sistemi di informazione
Protezione dei dati
Profilazione illecita
Sostegno ai sistemi e ai difensori dei diritti umani
Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’Unione europea
Sistemi intergovernativi in materia di diritti umani
Sistemi e enti nazionali in materia di diritti umani
Società civile
La Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’UE
Che cosa sono i diritti fondamentali?
What is the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights?
Preambolo
Titolo I: Dignità
1 - Dignità umana
2 - Diritto alla vita
3 - Diritto all'integrità della persona
4 - Proibizione della tortura e delle pene o trattamenti inumani o degradanti
5 - Proibizione della schiavitù e del lavoro forzato
Titolo II: Libertà
6 - Diritto alla libertà e alla sicurezza
7 - Rispetto della vita privata e della vita familiare
8 - Protezione dei dati di carattere personale
9 - Diritto di sposarsi e di costituire una famiglia
10 - Libertà di pensiero, di coscienza e di religione
11 - Libertà di espressione e d'informazione
12 - Libertà di riunione e di associazione
13 - Libertà delle arti e delle scienze
14 - Diritto all'istruzione
15 - Libertà professionale e diritto di lavorare
16 - Libertà d'impresa
17 - Diritto di proprietà
18 - Diritto di asilo
19 - Protezione in caso di allontanamento, di espulsione e di estradizione
Titolo III: Uguaglianza
20 - Uguaglianza davanti alla legge
21 - Non discriminazione
22 - Diversità culturale, religiosa e linguistica
23 - Parità tra donne e uomini
24 - Diritti del minore
25 - Diritti degli anziani
26 - Inserimento delle persone con disabilità
Titolo IV: Solidarietà
27 - Diritto dei lavoratori all'informazione e alla consultazione nell'ambito dell'impresa
28 - Diritto di negoziazione e di azioni collettive
29 - Diritto di accesso ai servizi di collocamento
30 - Tutela in caso di licenziamento ingiustificato
31 - Condizioni di lavoro giuste ed eque
32 - Divieto del lavoro minorile e protezione dei giovani sul luogo di lavoro
33 - Vita familiare e vita professionale
34 - Sicurezza sociale e assistenza sociale
35 - Protezione della salute
36 - Accesso ai servizi d'interesse economico generale
37 - Tutela dell'ambiente
38 - Protezione dei consumatori
Titolo V: Cittadinanza
39 - Diritto di voto e di eleggibilità alle elezioni del Parlamento europeo
40 - Diritto di voto e di eleggibilità alle elezioni comunali
41 - Diritto ad una buona amministrazione
42 - Diritto d'accesso ai documenti
43 - Mediatore europeo
44 - Diritto di petizione
45 - Libertà di circolazione e di soggiorno
46 - Tutela diplomatica e consolare
Titolo VI: Giustizia
47 - Diritto a un ricorso effettivo e a un giudice imparziale
48 - Presunzione di innocenza e diritti della difesa
49 - Principi della legalità e della proporzionalità dei reati e delle pene
50 - Diritto di non essere giudicato o punito due volte per lo stesso reato
Titolo VII: Disposizioni generali
51 - Ambito di applicazione
52 - Portata e interpretazione dei diritti e dei principi
53 - Livello di protezione
54 - Divieto dell'abuso di diritto
Tools
EU Fundamental Rights Information System - EFRIS
Criminal detention database
Anti-Muslim hatred database
Case-law database
Charterpedia
FRA e-learning platform
Data visualisation
Equality data collection: promising practices
Fighting hate crime: promising practices
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Work on rights
Giustizia, diritti delle vittime e cooperazione giudiziaria
Diritti delle vittime
Diritti degli imputati
Giustizia civile
Cooperazione giudiziaria e stato di diritto
Sicurezza
Imprese e diritti umani
Uguaglianza, non discriminazione e razzismo
Bambini, ragazzi e anziani
Persone con disabilità
Reati generati dall’odio
Origine razziale e etnica
Religione e credenze
Rom
Sesso, orientamento sessuale e genere
Asilo, migrazione e frontiere
Accesso all’asilo
Frontiere e sistemi di informazione
Protezione dei minori
Migrazione irregolare, rientro e trattenimento nel contesto dell’immigrazione
Migrazione legale e integrazione
Tratta degli esseri umani e sfruttamento della manodopera
Protezione dei dati, vita privata e nuove tecnologie
Intelligenza artificiale e megadati
Frontiere e sistemi di informazione
Protezione dei dati
Profilazione illecita
Sostegno ai sistemi e ai difensori dei diritti umani
Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’Unione europea
Sistemi intergovernativi in materia di diritti umani
Sistemi e enti nazionali in materia di diritti umani
Società civile
La Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’UE
La Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’UE
Che cosa sono i diritti fondamentali?
What is the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights?
Preambolo
Titolo I: Dignità
1 -
Dignità umana
2 -
Diritto alla vita
3 -
Diritto all'integrità della persona
4 -
Proibizione della tortura e delle pene o trattamenti inumani o degradanti
5 -
Proibizione della schiavitù e del lavoro forzato
Titolo II: Libertà
6 -
Diritto alla libertà e alla sicurezza
7 -
Rispetto della vita privata e della vita familiare
8 -
Protezione dei dati di carattere personale
9 -
Diritto di sposarsi e di costituire una famiglia
10 -
Libertà di pensiero, di coscienza e di religione
11 -
Libertà di espressione e d'informazione
12 -
Libertà di riunione e di associazione
13 -
Libertà delle arti e delle scienze
14 -
Diritto all'istruzione
15 -
Libertà professionale e diritto di lavorare
16 -
Libertà d'impresa
17 -
Diritto di proprietà
18 -
Diritto di asilo
19 -
Protezione in caso di allontanamento, di espulsione e di estradizione
Titolo III: Uguaglianza
20 -
Uguaglianza davanti alla legge
21 -
Non discriminazione
22 -
Diversità culturale, religiosa e linguistica
23 -
Parità tra donne e uomini
24 -
Diritti del minore
25 -
Diritti degli anziani
26 -
Inserimento delle persone con disabilità
Titolo IV: Solidarietà
27 -
Diritto dei lavoratori all'informazione e alla consultazione nell'ambito dell'impresa
28 -
Diritto di negoziazione e di azioni collettive
29 -
Diritto di accesso ai servizi di collocamento
30 -
Tutela in caso di licenziamento ingiustificato
31 -
Condizioni di lavoro giuste ed eque
32 -
Divieto del lavoro minorile e protezione dei giovani sul luogo di lavoro
33 -
Vita familiare e vita professionale
34 -
Sicurezza sociale e assistenza sociale
35 -
Protezione della salute
36 -
Accesso ai servizi d'interesse economico generale
37 -
Tutela dell'ambiente
38 -
Protezione dei consumatori
Titolo V: Cittadinanza
39 -
Diritto di voto e di eleggibilità alle elezioni del Parlamento europeo
40 -
Diritto di voto e di eleggibilità alle elezioni comunali
41 -
Diritto ad una buona amministrazione
42 -
Diritto d'accesso ai documenti
43 -
Mediatore europeo
44 -
Diritto di petizione
45 -
Libertà di circolazione e di soggiorno
46 -
Tutela diplomatica e consolare
Titolo VI: Giustizia
47 -
Diritto a un ricorso effettivo e a un giudice imparziale
48 -
Presunzione di innocenza e diritti della difesa
49 -
Principi della legalità e della proporzionalità dei reati e delle pene
50 -
Diritto di non essere giudicato o punito due volte per lo stesso reato
Titolo VII: Disposizioni generali
51 -
Ambito di applicazione
52 -
Portata e interpretazione dei diritti e dei principi
53 -
Livello di protezione
54 -
Divieto dell'abuso di diritto
Tools
Tools
EU Fundamental Rights Information System - EFRIS
Criminal detention database
Anti-Muslim hatred database
Case-law database
Charterpedia
FRA e-learning platform
Data visualisation
Equality data collection: promising practices
Fighting hate crime: promising practices
Prodotti
Search
×
Search the FRA website
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Home
Work On Rights
Support for human rights systems and defenders
Civil society
Protecting civil society – Update 2023
18
October
2023
Protecting civil society – Update 2023
Civil society
Support for human rights systems and defenders
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.
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Foreword
Key findings
Promoting an enabling legal environment
Ways forward
Addressing threats and attacks
Ways forward
Improving access to resources for CSOs under pressure
Ways forward
Strengthening meaningful participation in policymaking
Ways forward
1. Overall developments in civic space and EU initiatives
1.1 Developments in the EU in 2022
1.2 EU initiatives on civic space
1.2.1 Legislative and policy initiatives
1.2.2 Supporting civil society and countering threats
1.2.3 Enabling participation
1.3 International organisations’ initiatives
1.4 Developments in three EU candidate countries
2. Legal environment
2.1 Developments in EU Member States
2.1.1 Freedom of association
2.1.2 Freedom of expression
2.1.3 Freedom of peaceful assembly
2.2 Spotlight: Strategic lawsuits against public participation
3. Threats and attacks
3.1 Developments in EU Member States
3.2 Spotlight: Challenges for migrant rights defenders involved in search and rescue at sea
4. Access to resources
4.1 Developments in EU Member States
4.2 Spotlight: Supporting civil society organisations under pressure through funding
5. Participation
5.1 Developments in EU Member States
5.2 Spotlight: Participation of organisations representing groups at risk of exclusion
Ways forward
Bibliography
Annex: Methodology
About this publication
Bibliography
CoE, Commissioner for Human Rights (2020),
Human rights comment: Time to take action against SLAPPs
, 27
October 2020
.
European Commission (2020),
The European democracy action plan
, COM(2020)
790
final, Brussels, 3
December 2020.
European Commission (2020),
Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU
, COM(2020)
711
final, Brussels, 2
December 2020.
European Commission (2020), ‘
2020 rule of law report
’.
European Commission (2021), ‘
2021 rule of law report
’.
European Commission (2022), ‘
2022 rule of law report
’.
European Network Against Racism (2022),
Racialisation and shrinking space: Defending the human rights of racialised people in Europe
.
hu2014),
Criminalisation of migrants in an irregular situation and of persons engaging with them
, Luxembourg, Publications Office.
FRA (2016),
Violence, threats and pressures against journalists and other media actors in the European Union
, Luxembourg, Publications Office.
FRA (2018),
Challenges facing civil society organisations working on human rights in the EU
, Luxembourg, Publications Office.
FRA (2018),
Fundamental rights considerations: NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and criminal investigations
, Luxembourg, Publications Office.
FRA (2019),
Civil society space – Views of organisations
, Luxembourg, Publications Office.
FRA (2019), ‘
2019 update – NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and criminal investigations
’.
FRA (2020),
Civic space – Experiences of organisations in 2019
, Luxembourg, Publications Office.
FRA (2021),
COVID-impact on civil society work. Results of consultation with FRA’s Fundamental Rights Platform
.
FRA (2022),
Human rights cities in the European Union
, Luxembourg, Publications Office.
Front Line Defenders (2021),
Sex worker rights defenders at risk
.
Hayes, B. and Joshi, P. (2020),
Rethinking civic space in an age of intersectional crises: A briefing for funders
.
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) (2022), ‘
Civic space scan of Portugal
’ (in Portuguese).
OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) (1998),
Declaration on the right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms
, 9
December 1998.
OSCE (2022),
Strengthening the resilience of NHRIs and responding to threats – Guidance tool
, Warsaw, OSCE/ODIHR.
PartnersGlobal (2020),
Resiliency+ Framework – A guide for civil society to thrive in uncertain times
.
SOS Children’s Villages (2021),
Toolkit for children and young people’s participation in advocacy
, Vienna, SOS Children’s Villages.
Ways forward
Annex: Methodology
Country Research
05 July 2023
An update on developments regarding civic space in the EU and an overview of the possibilities for human rights defenders to enter EU territory 2022 - Country research
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
Civil society
These documents were commissioned under contract as background material for comparative analysis for the project ‘Update on developments regarding civic space in the EU‘. The information and views contained in the documents do not necessarily reflect the views or the official position of FRA. The documents are made publicly available for transparency and information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice or legal opinion.
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Report / Paper / Summary
Support for human rights systems and defenders
11
October
2021
Human rights cities in the EU: a framework for reinforcing rights locally
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.
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Report / Paper / Summary
Civil society
22
September
2021
Protecting civic space in the EU
Civil society organisations play a vital role in promoting fundamental rights, but they face diverse challenges across the European Union. This report presents FRA’s findings on a range of such challenges. The findings are based on research, and on two online consultations with civil society organisations, carried out in 2020.
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Download country studies
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Report / Paper / Summary
Civil society
Support for human rights systems and defenders
28
July
2020
Civic space – experiences of organisations in 2019
This paper presents key findings from FRA’s second consultation of its Fundamental Rights Platform, focusing on the experiences of civil society organisations (CSOs) working on human rights. FRA started an annual consultation with organisations participating in its platform in 2018.
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More on the Fundamental Rights Platform
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems
Support for human rights systems and defenders
Civil society
19
June
2019
2019 update - NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and criminal investigations
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.
Report / Paper / Summary
Borders and information systems
Asylum, migration and borders
Support for human rights systems and defenders
Civil society
1
October
2018
Fundamental rights considerations: NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and criminal investigations - 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.
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Children, youth and older people
People with disabilities
Hate crime
Roma
Sex, sexual orientation and gender
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
17
May
2018
Challenges facing civil society organisations working on human rights in the EU – Summary
Civil society organisations in the European Union play a crucial role in promoting fundamental
rights, but it has become harder for them do so – due to both legal and practical restrictions.
This summary outlines the main
findings and FRA’s opinions on the different
types and patterns of challenges faced by civil society
organisations across the EU,
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Report / Paper / Summary
Civil society
Support for human rights systems and defenders
18
January
2018
Challenges facing civil society organisations working on human rights in the EU
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.
Report / Paper / Summary
Hate crime
Sex, sexual orientation and gender
16
November
2016
Violence, threats and pressures against journalists and other media actors in the European Union
A free and pluralist media is vital to the democratic functioning of the European
Union (EU) and its Member States. However, journalists and other media actors
in the EU face various challenges, including violence, threats and other forms of
pressure, both direct and indirect.
Report / Paper / Summary
People with disabilities
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
21
May
2014
The right to political participation for persons with disabilities: human rights indicators
The opportunity to be involved in political life, whether by standing for elected office, joining a political party, or following political news stories in the media, is at the heart of what it means to live in a democratic society. The report analyses data on the situation of political participation of persons with disabilities collected from across the 28 European Union (EU) Member States by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Commission-funded Academic Network of European Disability Experts (ANED).
FRA 2014
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
27
March
2014
Criminalisation of migrants in an irregular situation and of persons engaging with them
This paper examines the sanctions applied to counteract irregular migration, building on previous work by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on the rights of migrants in an irregular situation.
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
6
August
2013
Fundamental rights at Europe’s southern sea borders - Summary
This FRA report examines the conditions at Europe’s southern sea borders with respect to the most fundamental rights of a person, the right to life and the right not to be sent back to torture, persecution or inhuman treatment. It looks at sea border surveillance and disembarkation procedures, as well as general issues such as European Union (EU) policy, training and Frontex-coordinated operations, and examines practices across the EU Member States researched – Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain.
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems
27
March
2013
Fundamental rights at Europe’s southern sea borders
This FRA report examines the conditions at Europe’s southern sea borders with respect to the most fundamental rights of a person, the right to life and the right not to be sent back to torture, persecution or inhuman treatment. It looks at sea border surveillance and disembarkation procedures, as well as training and Frontex-coordinated operations. It examines practices across the EU Member States researched – Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain.