EU Agency for Fundamental Rights: multiannual framework for 2013-2017

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Tatjana ŽDANOKA (Verts/ALE, LV) on the draft Council decision establishing a Multiannual Framework for 2013-2017 for the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.

The committee recommends that the European Parliament gives its consent to the draft Council decision.

Members deeply regret the lack of agreement in the Council as regards the inclusion of the proposed new thematic areas of police cooperation and judicial cooperation in criminal matters in the new Multiannual Financial Framework. They are concerned by reported attempts of several Member States in the Council to exclude discrimination based on membership of a national minority from the thematic areas in the context of the Agency.

Given that the Agency needs new thematic areas to work on to ensure continuity in its activities and if there is no new Multiannual Framework in place by the beginning of 2013, the Agency can only work if there is a specific request from an institution and not on its own initiative, Members call on the European Parliament to give its consent to the new Multiannual Financial Framework by the end of 2012. The parliamentary committee, nevertheless, hopes that the Council will revise its decision.