Green light for the EU’s Agency of Fundamental Rights. Following the political agreement reached last December, ending a negotiating process that had lasted for over two years, the Council of EU Ministers of Justice and Internal Affairs finally adopted last week the Regulations that discipline the operation of the new Community institution. The Agency – which succeeds the European Observatory on Phenomena of Racism and Xenophobia – is due to open its doors in Vienna on 1st March; its running is assigned to a Director, an executive office and a Board of Directors composed of independent representatives of the member states, European Commission and Council of Europe (with the task of coordinating cooperation with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and avoiding any duplication of responsibilities). Not being able to deal with individual cases, the personnel of the Agency will mainly be engaged “in Community law and its application in conformity with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. It will also place its human-rights expertise and know-how at the disposal of Institutions, member states, and civil society at large”. The establishment of a “Platform of Fundamental Rights” is also planned; its purpose will be to collaborate with NGOs and expressions of civil society.
