European Union Fundamental Rights Agency

1. European Union Fundamental Rights Agency Introduction to EU Policy and Institutional Architecture Dr. Maja Grzymkowka Katharina Tauschke 11.20.2007

2. Table of contents • 1. Community Agencies • 1.1 History • 1.2 Objectives • 1.3 Organisation • 2. European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) • 3. European Union Fundamental Rights Agency • 3.1 Composition • 3.2 Goals • 3.3 Main Tasks • 3.4 Geographical Scope • 3.5 Thematic Areas • 4. Sources

3. 1.Community Agencies1.1 History • first agencies date back to the 1970s • 1990s: „second generation agencies“ due to finalisation of EU internal market • answer to desire for geographical decentralisation and the need to cope with new technical and/or scientific tasks • majority of them started their activities in 1994 or 1995

4. 1.2 Objectives • general aims: • introduce a degree of decentralisation and dispersal to the Community's activities • give a higher profile to the tasks that are assigned to them by identifying them with the agencies themselves • answer need to develop scientific or technical know-how in certain well-defined fields • integrate different interest groups  facilitate dialogue at a European or international level

5. 1.3 Organisation • common basic structure and similar ways of operating • Administrative or Management Board • Executive Director • one or more Technical or Scientific Committee(s) • majority of cases: internal audit is carried out either by Commission's Financial Controller or by an auditor appointed by the agency • most of the agencies financed from Community subsidy

6. 2. European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) • established 2 June 1997 by Council Regulation (EC) No 1035/97, activities started in 1998 and ended on 28 February 2007 • provided the Community and its MS information and data on racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the EU • studied extent and development of racism and xenophobia, analysed their causes, consequences, effects • achieved primarily through the European information network on racism and xenophobia (RAXEN), which collected relevant information at the national level • developed strategies to combat racism and xenophobia, while also highlighting and disseminating examples of good practice in tackling these key issues

7. 3. European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) • established 15 February 2007 in Vienna by Council regulation (EC) No 168/2007 • Article 6 of the EU Treaty: • “The Union shall respect fundamental rights, as guaranteed by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms signed in Rome on 4 November 1950 and as they result from the constitutional traditions common to the Member States, as general principles of Community law”.

8. 3.1 Composition • Director: responsible for day-to-day management of the Agency and preparation and implementation of the annual work programme • Management Board: responsible for ensuring effective and efficient functioning of the Agency, as well as for establishing the draft budget and work programmes, and the monitoring of their subsequent implementation • Executive board: providing assistance to the management board • Scientific committee: responsible for guaranteeing the scientific quality of the Agency’s work.

9. 3.2 Goals • provide relevant institutions and authorities of the Community and its Member States with assistance and expertise on fundamental rights when implementing community law • support them in taking measures and formulating appropriate courses of action.

10. 3.3 Main tasks • collect, analyse, disseminate objective and reliable data • develop comparability and reliability of data through new methods and standards • carry out and / or promote research and studies in the fundamental rights field • formulate and publish conclusions and opinions on specific topics, on its own initiative or at the request of the European Parliament, the Council or the Commission; • promote dialogue with civil society  raise public awareness of fundamental rights.

11. 3.4 Geographical Scope • FRA focuses on the situation of fundamental rights in the EU and its 27 Member States. Candidate Countries and countries which have concluded a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU can be invited to participate following a special procedure. • It is NOT empowered to examine individual complaints.

12. 3.5 Thematic areas   • carries out its tasks within the competencies of the Community, as laid down in EC Treaty • refers to fundamental rights within the meaning of Article 6(2) of the Treaty on European Union, (including ECHR, Fundamental Freedoms, and as reflected in the Charter of Fundamental Rights) • thematic areas determined through five-year Multiannual Framework

13. 3.5 Thematic areas (cont.) • suggested thematic: a) racism, xenophobia and related intoleranceb) discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation or of persons belonging to minoritiesc) compensation of victims, prevention of crime and related aspects relevant to the security of citizensd) protection of children, including rights of the childe) immigration and integration of migrantsf) asylumg) visa and border controlh) participation in the Union's democratic functioningi) human rights issues relating to the information society j) access to efficient and independent justice

14. 4. Sources • Europa - Agencies of the European Union: European Union Fundamental Rights Agency. On: http://europa.eu/agencies/community_agencies/fra/index_en.htm. Accessed 11.18.2007. • The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. On: http://www.fra.europa.eu/fra/index.php. Accessed 11.18.2007.