This report is based on research FRA conducted in 2022 and 2023 through its multidisciplinary research network Franet [220] FRA (2023), ‘FRANET’. and through interviews and meetings at both national and EU levels. Researchers were asked to focus on the eight funds covered by the CPR 21–27. In total, 92 interviews were conducted for this report at international, EU, national and local levels.
At EU level, FRA’s Franet partner conducted desk research and semi-structured interviews with six officials from the Commission (from the Directorates-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion; for Regional and Urban Policy; for Justice and Consumers; and for Migration and Home Affairs), five representatives from EU-level CSOs, three representatives of independent fundamental rights bodies (or their umbrella organisations), one academic, a representative of EIGE and a representative of the European Ombudsman.
The selection of Member States covered by the Franet research was based on Member States with an A-status accredited NHRI to ensure that FRA could hear from fully independent institutions in these countries (i.e. an NHRI that, according to the Sub-Committee on Accreditation of the Global Alliance of NHRIs, is independent in law, membership, operations, policy and control of resources). The selection among the countries having an A-status accredited NHRI was based on their level of relative per capita funding from EU funds and a reasonable geographical balance.
At national level, Franet partners in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany and Portugal carried out desk research and semi-structured interviews with representatives from government, civil society, independent fundamental rights bodies and academia.
Seven roundtables were also organised by Franet partners to allow for an exchange of views on EU funds and fundamental rights between actors from different backgrounds.
FRA also organised an EU-level civil society workshop with representatives from civil society umbrella organisations with support from the Commission. The resulting report is as an additional basis of information for this report.
All interviews and the workshop led to seven reports drafted by the agency’s Franet partners reflecting the situation in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany and Portugal, as well as a report analysing the interviews done at EU level. Additional evidence was provided via desk research.
Reports regarding the work of the NHRIs in Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia were also published under the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation project ‘Supporting national human rights institutions in monitoring fundamental rights and the fundamental rights aspects of the rule of law’, which FRA leads. Moreover, information from a project on EU fundamental rights in practice and the Charter enabling condition in Greece under the EEA Grants, in which FRA acts as partner of the Greek Ombudsman, fed into this report. The project is titled ‘Greek Ombudsman actions for strengthening good governance, accountability and combating maladministration in the public sector’. Finally, the report also builds on evidence from previous FRA work in this area.