European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights: adoption of a Multiannual Framework for 2007-2012 - Main contents

MEPs adopted a non-binding report on the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights with 462 votes in favour, 60 against and 51 abstentions. The amendments extend the scope of the Agency to cover new areas of competence.

In February 2007, legislation adopting the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights was published and the Agency became fully operational on 1 March 2007. The Agency's objective is to provide Community institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, as well as the Member States, with assistance and expertise in the field of fundamental rights - particularly so when formulating policies and legislation concerning fundamental human rights. The tasks entrusted to the Agency include the collection and analysis of information and data; the provision of advice through reports and opinions; and awareness raising.

Firstly, the report states that the Framework should include the fight against racism, xenophobia and related intolerance amongst the thematic areas of the Agency's activity and the protection of the rights of persons belonging to ethnic or national minorities.

One important amendment stipulates that the Agency shall deal with issues relating to discrimination based on sex, in particular instances of `multiple discrimination'. The notion of `multiple discrimination' should be examined closely so as to try and understand this complex form of discrimination. In its work in the thematic areas, the Agency shall seek to identify the economic, social and cultural factors that contribute to respect for human rights in those areas or which may constitute root causes of violations of human rights such as extreme poverty and social exclusion.

The report states that the Agency may work outside the thematic areas determined in the Multi-annual Framework at the request of the European Parliament, the Council or the

Commission provided its financial and human resources so permit. The Commission, the Council and the European Parliament may request the Agency to investigate specific actions or concerns.

The report also calls for better democratic scrutiny and urges the other institutions to involve the European Parliament in this process as much as is possible. The Agency should report regularly to the European Parliament.

On the specific issue of the Agency's five year framework programme, MEPs consider that although this framework provides stability for the work of the Agency, there should be a possibility to update or review this framework during this period as new challenges to the protection of human rights may arise.

Lastly, the report states that the Agency shall actively cooperate with candidate countries in the field of fundamental rights in order to facilitate their compliance with Community law.

Debate 15 January 2008

Speaking in the debate Michael Cashman the author of the report,(Labour, West Midlands, PES, UK) said: "There are some delegations, some politicians and some Member States who want the Agency to fail. They do not want it to be effective, and that is why I have been absolutely specific in the demands that we are making upon this Agency. I want it to succeed. I believe that the amendments that were adopted in committee will help it to succeed, while not placing upon the Agency undue demands which will go beyond the resources, both human and financial.

There have been suggestions amongst some of the women's groups that this does not go far enough, but we have introduced the gender perspective and taken account of the Gender Institute. Of course, there must be complementarity, but we must not have duplication because, again, that would waste the resources.

Of course minority languages are important, of course other areas are important, but there is nothing more important than an Agency for Fundamental Rights which is successful in the work that we set it to do."