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Statement on the 2nd Meeting of the Fundamental Rights Platform convened by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

EWLA

Statement

on the

2nd Meeting of the
Fundamental Rights Platform

convened by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Vienna, 05-06 May 2009


 04 May 2009


The European Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) presents the following statement on the occasion of the
2nd Fundamental Rights Platform convened by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights on 5 and 6 May 2009 in Vienna:

Having regard to

· the Council Regulation establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (“FRA”),[1] in particular Article 10 on cooperation with civil society;

· the Multiannual Framework for the FRA for 2007-2012;[2]

· the annual work programme of the FRA for 2009 and the draft annual work programme for 2010;

· EWLA’s First Comments (of 25 April 2006) regarding the establishment of a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, EWLA General Assembly Resolution (of 20 May 2006) on “The Future of Europe and Fundamental Rights,” and EWLA General Assembly Resolution (of July 5, 2008) on “Fundamental Rights in Europe – The Next Steps,” its statement (of 29 November 2007) to the European Parliament on the FRA Multiannual Framework, and its statement (of 7 December 2007) on the Consultative Meeting of the FRA with Civil Society, as well as its contributions to the public consultations launched by the FRA in April/May 2007, and in February 2009 on the Work Programme for 2010;[3]

EWLA welcomes

· the decision of the FRA to convene the 2nd Fundamental Rights Platform and thus to continue, on a regular basis, its fruitful cooperation with civil society;

EWLA emphasises that

· the respect for all fundamental rights and freedoms is the foundation of the European Union, constitutes a core value of it and is an essential element for bringing the citizens closer to the Union;

· all EU institutions are bound, by Article 3(2) EC, to actively promote gender equality, and hence have to apply a gender perspective in all their activities, including the examination of respect for all human rights by EU legislation and by the member states, particularly when implementing EU law, and that the working methods of the Fundamental Rights Platform (“Platform” or “FRP”) must ensure the fulfilment of this obligation;

· there is a need for timely transmission of information by FRA to FRP members so as to permit them to prepare their contributions and thus ensure high quality of FRA-FRP cooperation;

Therefore, EWLA proposes with respect to the working methods of the Platform that

· the Platform continue to hold two annual meetings to make suggestions for the FRA work programme, including feed-back on the FRA annual report and proposals for follow-up, to discuss current problems encountered both by the FRA and by FRP members, and to develop recommendations so as to adapt their respective activities;

· the Platform serve as a mechanism for enhancing exchange of information and pooling of knowledge between FRA and civil society stakeholders, e.g. by a thematically structured website permitting FRP members to inform each other on best practices and problems encountered and by organising thematic meetings on issues considered as being particularly pressing;

· as a matter of priority, the FRA and Platform members develop proposals for a structure and procedures of the Platform, having due regard to the proposals already made by the Consultative Meeting of the FRA with Civil Society in December 2007, so as to ensure the effectiveness of the Platform, and to submit these proposals to the Platform for decision at its next meeting;

Consequently, EWLA agrees, in principle, to setting up an Advisory Panel as proposed by the FRA, but emphasises the service function of this body and therefore suggests that

· decisions on the structure, procedures and methods of the Platform be determined by the FRP as a whole so as to ensure the highest possible democratic participation;

· the work of the Advisory Panel must be transparent, in particular through regular reporting to the Platform on its activities since the last Platform meeting.


 

[1] Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 of 15 February 2007, [2007] OJ L 53/1 of 22 February 2007.

[2] Council Decision No. 2008/203/EC of 28 February 2008, [2008] OJ L 63/14 of 7 March 2008.

[3] All EWLA resolutions, comments, and statements available at: <www.ewla.org>.

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