Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    12
    December
    2025
    As the EU prepares to join the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), this report outlines the main changes that accession would bring, offering an overview of the legal and operational implications. Presented in a Q&A format, it provides answers to 19 key questions for legal professionals and a broader audience. It describes the steps needed to conclude accession, the expected benefits for protecting rights, and some of the challenges that may come up. This legal analysis contributes to the current discussions on EU accession.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    8
    December
    2025
    This report examines how human rights impact assessments (HRIAs) are built into lawmaking across the EU and its Member States. It highlights that, although progress has been made, the use of HRIAs remains uneven and often superficial. In many EU countries, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is frequently overlooked. The report identifies insufficient consultation with external experts, limited stakeholder participation and a lack of evaluation once laws are in force. To address these gaps, it offers practical recommendations for more systematic, inclusive and evidence-based HRIAs that strengthen human rights protection and ensure better, more accountable legislation throughout the EU.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    11
    July
    2023
    Across the world, human rights defenders protect and uphold human rights in some of the most challenging situations. In some countries they face worrying levels of threats and attacks, intimidation and harassment. This report outlines how human rights defenders can enter and stay in the EU when they need protection. It suggests how EU institutions and Member States could use the flexibility in existing legal provisions and provide shelter for defenders who seek protection.
  • 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.
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    In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about the need to push back against the shocking levels of human rights abuse and violation across the world. On the occasion of Human Rights Day, he refers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the need to standing up for human rights.
    In this video, human rights leaders, experts and activists share their views on the human rights impact of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
    11
    November
    2022
    Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history. It is a moment of existential significance for the wellbeing and sustainability of our societies. It is emerging from the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease, only to face a set of major overlapping challenges. These pose profound questions about the political, economic and societal future of the continent. To discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action, FRA brought together a group of sixty human rights leaders and experts with diverse backgrounds
    from across the continent. This report distils the meeting discussions, including analysis and ideas, and concludes with proposals for action. It does not represent the views either of individual participants or of FRA.
    In this video, several human rights leaders, experts and activists share their views on the impact of disinformation on human rights and the ways to address this phenomenon.
    16
    September
    2022
    Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history, facing a convergence of major tests. Each of them taken on their own is significant. Together, they pose profound questions about the political, economic, and societal future of the continent. This is a moment for strong commitment to put human rights at the heart of our vision for Europe’s future. It is also time to demonstrate our determination to work together to this end. Against this backdrop, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) brought together around sixty human rights leaders and experts from across the continent to discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action. A full conference report will be available soon, including the specific ideas and proposals which arose from the meeting. Meanwhile, this is a summary of the conclusions.
    19
    August
    2022
    Het Handvest van de grondrechten van de Europese Unie is de bill of rights van de EU. Voor de EU-instellingen en lidstaten is het Handvest altijd bindend wanneer zij binnen de werkingssfeer van het Unierecht handelen. De beoordeling of een concreet geval binnen de werkingssfeer van het Unierecht valt, is echter verre van eenvoudig. Daarom is het nodig beoefenaars van juridische beroepen opleidingen en opleidingsmateriaal aan te bieden over het toepassingsgebied van het Handvest, zoals omschreven in artikel 51 daarvan. In het handboek wordt gebruikgemaakt van een reeks casestudy’s, die in de toekomst verder zullen worden uitgebreid.
    19
    August
    2022
    Maatschappelijke organisaties hebben te maken met diverse uitdagingen in de Europese Unie. In het verslag van het FRA over de bescherming van de burgerlijke ruimte in de EU worden de bevindingen van het Bureau over deze uitdagingen uiteengezet. Het verslag werd in september 2021 uitgegeven. Deze samenvatting bevat de belangrijkste bevindingen en FRA-adviezen die in het verslag worden beschreven.
    19
    July
    2022
    Civil society is a key component of Europe’s fundamental rights architecture. From supporting people affected by the pandemic to helping those fleeing the war in Ukraine, civil society plays a crucial role in upholding people’s rights. In so doing, it contributes to a healthy rule of law culture. FRA’s civic space report provides an overview of the many ways in which civil society contributes to the checks and balances that underpin the rule of law.
    29
    June
    2022
    Since September 2021, two National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) had a change in their accreditation status, one applied for accreditation and five have had a change in tasks covered by their mandates. This new 2022 update provides an overview of developments in the accreditation status and mandates of NHRIs from September 2021 to May 2022. It is a follow up of FRA’s 2020 report on ‘Strong and effective national human rights institutions – challenges, promising practices and opportunities’ and the September 2021 update. It covers the 27 EU Member States and three candidate countries (Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia).
    In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about the EU’s response to the war in Ukraine. He argues that it is only if we all work together, with human rights as our roadmap, that we can make our way towards a peaceful future.
    8
    June
    2022
    FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2022 reviews major developments in the field in 2021, 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.
    8
    June
    2022
    This focus looks at the impact of the pandemic on social rights. It examines the measures in national recovery and resilience plans that address the social vulnerabilities among a variety of population groups in the EU, including women, children and young people in situations of vulnerability, people with disabilities, older people, Roma and people in precarious working conditions.
    8
    June
    2022
    Het jaar 2021 kende zowel vooruitgang als tegenslagen bij de bescherming van de grondrechten. Het Verslag over de grondrechten 2022 van FRA evalueert de belangrijkste ontwikkelingen op het gebied van de grondrechten, waarbij niet alleen wordt ingegaan op de successen die zijn behaald, maar ook wordt gewezen op de resterende punten van zorg. Deze publicatie zet de adviezen van FRA op een rij over de belangrijkste ontwikkelingen binnen deze thematische gebieden en geeft in het kort de feitelijke gegevens weer waarop deze adviezen berusten.
    27
    April
    2022
    Deze gids kan steden helpen zich sterker in te zetten om de mensenrechten te eerbiedigen. Het doel ervan is lokale overheden aan te moedigen strengere mensenrechtennormen vast te stellen. Het idee is om wederzijds te leren over mensenrechten en grondrechten aan te moedigen en te bevorderen. Het Bureau van de Europese Unie voor de grondrechten (FRA), een groep mensenrechtensteden en diverse beroepsbeoefenaars in de EU hebben de handen ineengeslagen om deze gids op te stellen. De gids bouwt voort op de veelbelovende praktijken en ervaringen van steden, regio’s, deskundigen, internationale organisaties en netwerken die te vinden zijn in het FRA-verslag Human Rights cities in the EU: A framework for reinforcing rights locally.
    14
    April
    2022
    Opkomen voor de mensenrechten is nog nooit zo belangrijk geweest! Maar hoe moet dat? Hoe kunnen we mensen samenbrengen en gehoor vinden in het tumult?
    In the internet age, information travels faster and further than ever before. But so does disinformation, feeding off rumours, prejudices and stereotypes. How can we tackle it? Watch FRA’s practical guide on how to go about tackling disinformation using +INPUT – be positive, identify, narrate, pioneer, unite and track.
    The Fundamental Rights Forum is the space for dialogue on human rights challenges facing the EU today.
    The Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, welcomes the launch of the Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea), the merger of the European Foundation Centre (EFC) and the Donors and Foundations Networks in Europe (Dafne), on 7 December 2021.
    The Fundamental Rights Forum is the space for dialogue on human rights challenges facing the EU today.
    Highlights from the Fundamental Rights Forum 2021 – Michael O’Flaherty on the Forum as a roadmap for a vision of hope.