The Employers Sanctions Directive was primarily enacted to dissuade employers from recruiting migrants in an irregular situation, but it also contains provisions to protect workers. It facilitates access to justice for exploited workers and sets out workers’ rights to claim back payment of outstanding wages. The directive also contains provisions to enhance the effectiveness of labour inspections. This report describes how the 25 Member States bound by the directive have been implementing its protective provisions, focusing on the impact these provisions have on migrant workers in an irregular situation who are victims of exploitation and other labour
law violations.
This Coronavirus Bulletin focuses on equitable access to vaccines. It outlines
the situation in the 27 EU Member States from 1 March to 30 April 2021. The
bulletin looks at two main areas: planning and prioritisation in deploying
Covid-19 vaccinations and their rollout in the countries. It covers information
and communication campaigns, as well as (pre)registration channels for and
the administration of vaccinations.
The year 2020 brought both progress and setbacks
in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s
Fundamental Rights Report 2021 reviews major
developments in the field, identifying both
achievements and remaining areas of concern. This
publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main
developments in the thematic areas covered, and
a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
L’année 2020 a été marquée à la fois par des
avancées et des reculs en termes de protection
des droits fondamentaux. Le Rapport sur les
droits fondamentaux 2021 de l’Agence des droits
fondamentaux de l’Union européenne examine les
principales évolutions dans ce domaine, en recensant
les progrès accomplis et les sujets de préoccupation
persistants.
FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2021 reviews major developments in the field in 2020, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions. This year’s focus chapter explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fundamental rights. The remaining chapters cover: the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; equality and non-discrimination; racism, xenophobia and related intolerance; Roma equality and inclusion; asylum, borders and migration; information society, privacy and data protection; rights of the child; access to justice; and the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
This focus looks at COVID-19’s impact on fundamental
rights. It underscores that a human rights-based
approach to tackling the pandemic requires balanced
measures that are based on law, necessary, temporary
and proportional. It also requires addressing the
pandemic’s socio-economic impact, protecting the
vulnerable and fighting racism.
Ce «Focus» porte sur l’impact de la COVID 19 sur les
droits fondamentaux. Il souligne qu’une approche
de la lutte contre la pandémie fondée sur les droits
de l’homme nécessite des mesures équilibrées
fondées sur le droit, nécessaires, temporaires et
proportionnées. Elle nécessite également de lutter
contre les conséquences socio-économiques de la
pandémie, de protéger les personnes vulnérables et de
combattre le racisme.
This opinion illustrates the extent and nature of lived experiences of inequality and discrimination across the EU. It does so with reference to the grounds of discrimination and areas of life covered by the racial and employment equality directives, as well as in relation to the grounds and areas covered by the proposed Equal Treatment Directive.
This report looks at the practical implementation of the presumption of innocence in criminal proceedings, and related rights, in 9 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland and Portugal). Article 48 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees the presumption of innocence – but, as FRA’s research underscores, it can be undermined in many ways.
This note outlines how to help ensure a dignified stay for third-country nationals who are apprehended or intercepted at external borders. Specifically, FRA identifies twelve points for protection-sensitive and fundamental rights-compliant planning and design of initial-reception facilities at such borders. These are based on the agency’s work at external borders, including data collection and research activities.
It’s said you have the right to have fundamental human rights. FRA’s Gabriel Toggenburg explains his firm belief in the EU justice system to protect those basic freedoms. For Gabriel, a person’s identity does not necessarily come from their nationality. He tells how being born in Germany with family roots and connections in Italy, France, the UK, Switzerland and Russia shaped those views.
Peace brings optimism. FRA’s Alice Hamilton explains her passion for access to justice and victims’ rights. Growing up with a Protestant father and a Catholic mother at the height of the Troubles gave Alice a valuable insight into living in a divided Ireland. As a child, she dreamed of equal treatment in both communities – a society where you are free to marry who you choose. Now Alice shares her optimism for the future in a Europe that protects fundamental rights.
This is the second main report from FRA’s Fundamental Rights Survey, which collected data from 35,000 people on a range of issues. This report focuses on respondents’ experiences as victims of selected types of crime, including violence, harassment, and property crime. The report also examines how often these crimes are reported to the police, and presents further details relating to harassment and violence, such as the perpetrators and where the incidents took place.
An equal society is a better society for everyone. FRA’s Ursula Till-Tentschert warns against sidelining women — once empowered, there is nothing they cannot do. Ursula remembers the injustice of having to sew at school while her brothers carved models from wood. It is only a short step from classroom discrimination to outright prejudice. She celebrates the EU laws that protect us. But she says they will only truly work if we also smash the invisible social barriers to empowerment.
FRA’s report on artificial intelligence and fundamental rights presents concrete examples of how companies and public administrations in the EU are using, or trying to use, AI. This summary presents the main insights from the report. These can inform EU and national policymaking efforts to regulate the use of AI tools in compliance with human and fundamental rights.
Le rapport de la FRA consacré à l’intelligence artificielle et aux droits fondamentaux présente des exemples concrets de la manière dont les entreprises et les administrations publiques de l’UE utilisent ou tentent d’utiliser l’IA.
Minorities across Europe routinely experience discrimination. As a child, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty saw first-hand how prejudice led to violence and hatred in his native Ireland. Michael shares some early experiences of violence against Irish Travellers. He also speaks about what motivates him to fight to protect human rights for people everywhere.
The EU is founded on the values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights. Yet these values, and discussions on fundamental rights at the EU and Member State level, can seem remote in people’s daily lives. With this in mind, FRA explored what people understand, know and experience with respect to their fundamental rights in practice. The resulting data provide comprehensive and comparable evidence on these aspects.
Artificial intelligence (AI) already plays a role in deciding what unemployment benefits someone gets, where a burglary is likely to take place, whether someone is at risk of cancer, or who sees that catchy advertisement for low mortgage rates. Its use keeps growing, presenting seemingly endless possibilities. But we need to make sure to fully uphold fundamental rights standards when using AI. This report presents concrete examples of how companies and public administrations in the EU are using, or trying to use, AI. It focuses on four core areas – social benefits, predictive policing, health services and targeted advertising.
This report looks at fundamental rights compliance at the European Union (EU)’s external land borders, including rivers and lakes. On 30 January 2020, the European Parliament requested the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) to prepare a report on these borders. It noted that the report should focus on the correct application of the safeguards in the European asylum acquis and the provisions of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399).