European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is an independent body of the European Union. It was established in 2007 to promote and protect the fundamental rights of people living in the EU, including:
- the right to freedom from discrimination based on age, disability, or ethnic background
- the right to protection of personal data
- the right of access to justice
FRA's role is to provide assistance and expertise relating to fundamental rights to EU institutions and EU countries when they implement EU law. It also aims to raise public awareness of fundamental rights in the EU.
The Agency's main tasks are:
- collecting, recording, analyzing, and disseminating relevant, objective, reliable, and comparable information and data
- carrying out or encouraging scientific research and surveys, preparatory studies, and feasibility studies
- formulating and publishing conclusions and opinions for the Union institutions and the Member States when implementing Community law
For more information, visit the Agency's website
Scientific Committee of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
The Scientific Committee's primary responsibility is to guarantee the Agency's work is of the highest possible quality by offering guidance on scientific research methodology.
Members of the Scientific Committee are independent persons, highly qualified in the field of fundamental rights, selected by the FRA Management Board through an open and transparent call. Their term of office is five years and is non-renewable.
The newly elected Committee members, including Professor Adam Bodnar, Dean of the Faculty of Law in Warsaw, will start their term on 4 June. The first meeting of the Committee is planned for early September.
What are fundamental rights?
Fundamental rights are enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, a document approved by the bodies of the European Union in 2000. The Charter includes 54 articles divided into seven chapters covering all issues related to human rights protection, such as the right to life, freedom, equality, and citizens' rights.
Professor Adam Bodnar — a renowned expert on human rights