Common European Asylum System in a Changing World

6.3 The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 of 15 February 2007 establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights “Helping to make fundamental rights a reality for everyone in the European Union”

Basic information: The FRA is the European agency formed on 1 March 2007, on the legal basis of Council Regulation (EC) No. 168/2007 (hereinafter also referred to as ‘EASORegulation’), with its seat in Vienna (Austria). The FRA serves as an independent body of the EU with its own legal personality (Article 23 of FRA Regulation) and was established for the purpose to provide MS and other EU bodies and institutions assistance and expertise in fundamental rights, in particular those contained in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. The FRA also coordinates its activity with the Council of Europe. The structure of the Agency is again similar to other agencies and contains a Management Board, Executive Board, Scientific Committee, and Director (Article 11 of FRA Regulation). The Management Board is composed of nominees of MS (one member is nominated by every MS), one nominee from the Council of Europe and two nominees from the Commission. It defines the work priorities of the Agency and supervises its action. The Executive Board is something like the executive group of the Management Board, it prepares its decisions. The Scientific Committee, which serves as guarantor of scientific quality, is composed of 11 people, who are independent and highly qualified in human rights. They are appointed by the Management Board. Finally, the Director is appointed by Management Board and is in charge of day-to-day management. Main tasks: The FRA has the following main tasks:  define the areas in the life of society (fields of action of MS or the EU) appropriate to research and methodological support concerning human rights,  collect and analyse data on human rights situation (in cooperation with MS and other EU bodies and institutions),  research in the field of human rights,  share its expertise and results of research with appropriate institutions of MS and the EU.

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