Printer-friendly version

15-16 April in Vienna (Austria) the 3rd Fundamental Rights Platform annual meeting took place.

As we already reported, in February this year YHRM-Berlin officially joined the NGO Platform of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA). This meeting was the first event of the Platform to be attended by representative of the YHRM-Berlin.

The meeting brought together about 150 representatives of civil society organisations from across the European Union. The main issue for discussion was the human rights dimension of poverty and social exclusion, the theme of the 2010’s European Year. Participants were also invited to put forward ideas for the Agency’s 2012 Work Programme and discuss the Treaty of Lisbon and its implications for the protection of fundamental rights in the EU.

The purpose of the regular meetings of the Platform, consisting of various European NGOs (human rights, religious associations, trade unions, etc.), is establishing dialogue with the organisations working directly with people. Fundamental Rights Agency thus serves as a kind of “mediator” in the field between civil society organisations, on the one hand, and the EU political institutions – on the other.

During the meetings non-governmental organisations – members of the Platform have an opportunity to influence the Agency’s Work Programme and to draw its attention at current issues that in their view are crucial, as well as to elect their representatives to the Advisory Panel acting in the intervals between sessions.

“This year special attention was paid to the problems of poverty and children's rights. Nevertheless, from part of the organisations representing Roma and Sinti clear concerns on the rise of the right-wing in Eastern Europe (especially Hungary) were heard. In my group I also called attention to the problem of a concrete youth participation in human rights activism and volunteering and, in particular, to the opportunities to “socialise” certain groups of young people fighting for their rights through human rights education", - says Alexey Gorin, YHRM correspondent who took part in the meeting.

The meeting served to identify possible areas of cooperation of the YHRM with the Agency, including the issues of awareness-raising and human rights education (the Agency plans to conduct in 2010 a number of activities dedicated the 10-th anniversary of the adoption of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights), as well as human rights monitoring of the EU visa policy and third country nationals treatment on its borders.

Additional information:

Webpage of the Fundamental Rights Platform on the website of the Fundamental Rights Agency

The official release and documents of the meeting 

YHRM International Service