The FRA's organisational structure includes a Scientific Committee.

Role

The Scientific Committee shall be the guarantor of the scientific quality of the FRA's work and will be involved by the Director in the early stages of the preparation of the majority of FRA's documents drawn up to meet its tasks.

Members

The Scientific Committee is composed of eleven independent persons, highly qualified in the field of fundamental rights.

The FRA Management Board, at its meeting of 15-17 May 2018, appointed the members of the Agency's Scientific Committee (1) .

The new Committee covers the various areas of activities of the Agency . They are all widely renowned experts with distinguished academic credentials. In addition, they have professional experience as members of EU expert networks and relevant institutions (including for instance the European Court for Human Rights, national constitutional Courts, national human rights institutions, various Council of Europe bodies, the UN Human Rights Committee or UN special procedures). The different professional backgrounds, disciplines and areas of specialisation provide for a balanced composition of the Committee allowing for fruitful synergies within the Committee. Also in terms of geography (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands and Poland) the Committee’s composition allows for a encompassing diversity of approaches that can inform the Agency’s work.

Tenure

The term of office of the members of the Scientific Committee shall be five years not renewable. The Scientific Committee elects its Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson for a term of office of one year. The term of office of the current Scientific Committee will be until 4 June 2018 to 3 June 2023.

Appointment procedure

The Management Board appointed the members following a transparent call for applications and selection procedure after having consulted the competent committee of the European Parliament. The Management Board also had to ensure even geographical representation of members of the Scientific Committee. In addition, the members of the Management Board could not be members of the Scientific Committee.

(1) in accordance with Articles 12 and 14 of the Agency's Regulation