European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It creates the European Union (EU) Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), a dedicated, EU-level body which provides assistance and expertise relating to fundamental rights in the EU and lays down its main tasks and objectives, functioning and internal governance.

KEY POINTS

The regulation defines FRA’s tasks as the following:

• supplying relevant, objective, reliable and comparable information and data to EU institutions and EU Member States on fundamental rights;
• developing methods and standards to improve the comparability, objectivity and reliability of data at the EU level;
• carrying out, cooperating on or encouraging scientific research and surveys;
• formulating conclusions and opinions on specific thematic topics;
• issuing publications on specific fundamental rights topics;
• publishing an annual report on the issues covered by its remit, highlighting examples of best practice;
• designing a communication strategy and promoting dialogue with civil society to raise public awareness of fundamental rights and disseminate information about its work.

FRA does not set standards body and does not deal with individual complaints.

Annual and multiannual programming

Each year, the director of FRA draws up a draft programming document containing annual and multiannual work programmes. This is sent to the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, national liaison officers and the Scientific Committee.

Based on the outcome of the discussions with the competent Council preparatory body and the opinions received from the Commission, Member States and the Scientific Committee, the agency’s annual and multiannual work programmes are adopted by its management board.

Cooperation with other bodies

FRA must maintain close links with:

• the EU institutions;
• Member States’ governments and civil society groups, such as the Fundamental Rights Platform;
• equality bodies (e.g. the EU Institute for Gender Equality or the UN coordinating committee for national human rights institutions);
• international organisations (Council of Europe, United Nations, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe);
• EU candidate countries.

FROM WHEN DOES THIS REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 March 2007.

BACKGROUND

FRA replaced its predecessor body – the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia – in Vienna, taking over its work.

For further information, see:

• FRA - Promoting and protecting your fundamental rights across the EU (FRA)
• The European Fundamental Rights Agency’s Strategic Plan 2018–2022 (FRA)
• European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (Europa).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 of 15 February 2007 establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (OJ L 53, 22.2.2007, pp. 1–14).

Successive amendments to Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

last update 06.05.2022