European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights is the successor body to the European Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia. It opened on 1 March 2007, and is based in Vienna. The Agency provides 'assistance and expertise relating to fundamental rights in order to support them when they take measures or formulate courses of action within their respective spheres of competence to fully respect fundamental rights.'[1]
The Agency covers the EU and its 27 Member States, though 'candidate Countries and countries which have concluded a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU can be invited to participate following a special procedure.'[2]
