Newsroom

Event
Support for human rights systems and defenders
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
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2nd Annual EU CharterXchange

The “Annual EU CharterXchange” is an initiative of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Commission to enhance the application of the rights enshrined in the EU Charter for Fundamental Rights (EU Charter). The European Commission’s 'Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU’, adopted in 2020, and the subsequent Council conclusions on strengthening the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in the European Union call for further efforts in the Member States to promote the application of the EU Charter. The CharterXchange contributes to this objective by increasing the exchange of knowledge and experience and fostering collaboration among experts, policymakers, and stakeholders through a regular forum, which started in 2023, dedicated to the EU Charter.
Visit 1st EU CharterXchange site
Event
Support for human rights systems and defenders
Inter-governmental human rights systems

FRA Director joins EU UN Human Rights Office strategic dialogue

FRA's Director will take part in the EU – UN Human Rights Office strategic dialogue on 21 October in Geneva. The UN Human Rights Office and the EU’s External Action Service organised the meeting.
Event
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Hate crime
Racial and ethnic origin
Religion and belief
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FRA joins ECRI’s 30 years anniversary

FRA will speak about institutional and structural racism during the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) annual seminar with Equality Bodies.
Event
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
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A rights-based approach to tackling energy poverty

FRA will join the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub conference organised by the European Commission.
Event
National human rights systems and bodies

FRA Director joins Equinet networking meetings

On 15 October in Brussels, Equinet, the European Network of Equality Bodies hosts a conference on standards for Equality Bodies.
Event
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Artificial intelligence and big data
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FRA joins this year’s Forum 2000

FRA will take part in the Forum 2000 Annual Conference in Prague from 13 to 15 October. This event provides a platform to address a diverse international community and to better understand the challenges to freedom and democracy in our globalised and uncertain world.
Visit event site
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

Setting up ETIAS and fundamental rights considerations

FRA took part in three meetings on setting up the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, ETIAS. The meetings took place from 1 to 3 October in Warsaw.
Speech
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Hate crime
Racial and ethnic origin
Religion and belief
Sirpa Rautio

Antiracism in the EU

FRA Director Sirpa Rautio addresses EU Justice ministers during the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union organised by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council. The Council meeting took place on 11 October in Luxembourg. She fed into discussions on the fight against racism, the EU antieracism action plan and how FRA can help with its evidence-based advice.
News Item
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Children, youth and older people

Climate justice for children

Climate experts and child rights experts across Europe, NGOs, practitioners, academics, and children gathered for a meeting of European the Network of Child-friendly Justice. They discussed the diverse situations and challenges children encounter due to the impact of climate change while seeking access to justice and legal remedies.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

FRA guidance on independent border monitoring presented at ODIHR stakeholders meeting

FRA presented to Polish stakeholders key aspects of the nine building blocks of its new guidance on independent monitoring mechanisms under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The FRA guidance is based on and gives effect to the EU Screening Regulation which obliges Member States to set up such independent national mechanisms by mid-2026.
Access the guidance
News Item
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation

European Parliament hearing on proposed transparency representation rules for non-EU countries

The European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection held a hearing on the draft directive for harmonised transparency of interest rules carried out on behalf of non-EU countries. Professor Emilia Korkea-Aho, the author of a study contracted by the Parliaments Policy Department presented her main findings.
Access the main findings
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

EU Innovation Hub for internal security looks at biometrics

FRA joined the second meeting of the Biometrics Cluster of the EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security. The cluster is composed of various EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies, including FRA, and representatives of the European Commission.
News Item
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Hate crime
Racial and ethnic origin
Religion and belief

FRA outlines its work at international antiracism conferences

FRA presented its work during two international antiracism conferences in Germany.
News Item
Support for human rights systems and defenders
Civil society

Better support for environmental Human Rights Defenders

FRA contributed to an event organised by the Brussels office of the UN’s human rights office on better protecting environmental human rights defenders. The meeting looked into the situation of defenders in the wider Europe region.
News Item
Equality, non-discrimination and racism

Expert meeting on implementing EU equality law

FRA contributed to a two-day expert meeting on the implementation of EU equality law. FRA was there alongside the European Gender Equality Institute (EIGE) and the European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET), as an observer.
News Item
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Roma

FRA joins pre-COP discussions

FRA took part in an event preceding the regular Conference of Parties on climate change that will later take place in Baku on 11-22 November. It brought together businesses and representatives of international organisations.
News Item
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Hate crime
Racial and ethnic origin
Religion and belief

FRA antiracism work presented to FREMP working party

FRA presented its work on antiracism and anti-Muslim hatred to the Council of the EU’s Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens' Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP).
News Item
Artificial intelligence and big data
Inter-governmental human rights systems

FRA attends Council of Europe’s AI expert meetings

FRA joined the 2nd meeting of the Council of Europe’s Expert Committee on AI, Equality and Discrimination from 25 to 26 September in Strasbourg. The Committee discussed a draft recommendation on AI and Equality.
News Item
Child protection
Children, youth and older people

Training of guardians in Member States

FRA took part in meetings of two projects focusing on training guardians of unaccompanied children. The online meetings took place on 17 September and 2 October.
Event
Inter-governmental human rights systems

FRA and the UN’s Human Rights Office strengthen their cooperation

FRA’s Director will meet the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on 30 September at the Agency.