Speech by Commissioner Jourová – 10 years of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency: a call to action in defence of fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law

On 28 February 2017 European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová made a speech in Vienna marking 10 years of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency. She talked of having mixed feelings since although the EU has worked hard to promote fundamental rights in the EU, the EU has had to deal with multiple challenges: one of the worst economic crises since its creation, an unprecedented arrival of refugees at its external borders and a series of terrorist attacks within the EU. To deal with these and other problems she called for increased defence of fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law.

While it was important to mark the 10 year anniversary of the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency, there were real and growing threats to the achievements that have been made over the years. This was the prevailing mood among other high-level speakers, such as Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen during discussions at the anniversary event in Vienna on 28 February 2017. All called for stronger voices and action building the case for rights-based approaches in everything we do.

FRA: Press Release, 01.03.17: FRA 10 years: Fundamental rights have come a long way but face grave threats http://fra.europa.eu/en/news/2017/fra-10-years-fundamental-rights-have-come-long-way-face-grave-threats

FRA: Press Release, 28.02.17: A decade of human rights protection: The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights turns 10 http://fra.europa.eu/en/press-release/2017/decade-human-rights-protection-eu-agency-fundamental-rights-turns-10

ESO: Key source: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-union-agency-for-fundamental-rights-fra/

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