Working methods
1. In order to ensure the provision of objective, reliable and comparable information, the Agency shall, drawing on the expertise of a variety of organisations and bodies in each Member State and taking account of the need to involve national authorities in the collection of data:
(a)
set up and coordinate information networks and use existing networks;
(b)
organise meetings of external experts; and
(c)
whenever necessary, set up ad hoc working parties.
2. In pursuing its activities, the Agency shall, in order to achieve complementarity and guarantee the best possible use of resources, take account, where appropriate, of information collected and of activities undertaken, in particular by:
(a)
Union institutions and bodies, offices and agencies of the Community and the Union, and bodies, offices and agencies of the Member States;
(b)
the Council of Europe, by referring to the findings and activities of the Council of Europe's monitoring and control mechanisms and of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights; and
(c)
the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations and other international organisations.
3. The Agency may enter into contractual relations, in particular subcontracting arrangements, with other organisations, in order to accomplish any tasks which it may entrust to them. The Agency may also award grants to promote appropriate cooperation and joint ventures, in particular to national and international organisations as referred to in Articles 8 and 9.
Relations with relevant Community bodies, offices and agencies
The Agency shall ensure appropriate coordination with relevant Community bodies, offices and agencies. The terms of cooperation shall be laid down in memoranda of understanding where appropriate.
Cooperation with organisations at Member State and international level
1. In order to ensure close cooperation with Member States, each Member State shall nominate a government official as a National Liaison Officer, who shall be the main contact point for the Agency in the Member State. The National Liaison Officers may, inter alia , submit opinions on the draft Annual Work Programme to the Director prior to its submission to the Management Board. The Agency shall communicate to the National Liaison Officers all documents drawn up in accordance with Article 4(1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h).
2. To help it carry out its tasks, the Agency shall cooperate with:
(a)
governmental organisations and public bodies competent in the field of fundamental rights in the Member States, including national human rights institutions; and
(b)
the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), especially the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the United Nations and other international organisations.
3. The administrative arrangements for cooperation pursuant to paragraph 2 shall comply with Community law and shall be adopted by the Management Board on the basis of the draft submitted by the Director after the Commission has delivered an opinion. Where the Commission expresses its disagreement with these arrangements the Management Board shall re-examine and adopt them, with amendments where necessary, by a two-thirds majority of all members.
Cooperation with the Council of Europe
In order to avoid duplication and in order to ensure complementarity and added value, the Agency shall coordinate its activities with those of the Council of Europe, particularly with regard to its Annual Work Programme pursuant to Article 12(6)(a) and cooperation with civil society in accordance with Article 10. To that end, the Community shall, in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 300 of the Treaty, enter into an agreement with the Council of Europe for the purpose of establishing close cooperation between the latter and the Agency. This agreement shall include the appointment of an independent person by the Council of Europe, to sit on the Agency's Management Board and on its Executive Board, in accordance with Articles 12 and 13.
Cooperation with civil society; Fundamental Rights Platform
1. The Agency shall closely cooperate with non-governmental organisations and with institutions of civil society, active in the field of fundamental rights including the combating of racism and xenophobia at national, European or international level. To that end, the Agency shall establish a cooperation network (Fundamental Rights Platform), composed of non-governmental organisations dealing with human rights, trade unions and employer's organisations, relevant social and professional organisations, churches, religious, philosophical and non-confessional organisations, universities and other qualified experts of European and international bodies and organisations.
2. The Fundamental Rights Platform shall constitute a mechanism for the exchange of information and pooling of knowledge. It shall ensure close cooperation between the Agency and relevant stakeholders.
3. The Fundamental Rights Platform shall be open to all interested and qualified stakeholders in accordance with paragraph 1. The Agency may address the members of the Fundamental Rights Platform in accordance with specific needs related to areas identified as a priority for the Agency's work.
4. The Agency shall call upon the Fundamental Rights Platform in particular, to:
(a)
make suggestions to the Management Board on the Annual Work Programme to be adopted pursuant to Article 12(6)(a);
(b)
give feedback and suggest follow-up to the Management Board on the annual report provided for in Article 4(1)(e); and
(c)
communicate outcomes and recommendations of conferences, seminars and meetings relevant to the work of the Agency to the Director and the Scientific Committee.
5. The Fundamental Rights Platform shall be coordinated under the authority of the Director.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
