On 15 May 2025, students on the Legal Studies Department course EU human rights law and policy/students from the Mundus MAPP programme who took the EPP track-specific course EU Human Rights Law and Policy/a group of DPP students visited the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna. They had a first meeting with Waltraud Heller, who is leading the agency's work on civic space and human rights defenders and who gave us a detailed overview of the agency's activities in that field, and how this helps protect civil society actors and strengthen democracy in Europe. Students asked many challenging and critical questions, which led to a frank exchange on the impact of the agency, but also the limitations it faces. They then met with Project Manager Sanja Jovicic, who elaborated on the relevance of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the extent to which this instrument is transforming policy and law-making across the EU. Here again, the discussions were lively and engaging. Overall, the visit was really inspiring and left us with a sense of hope, despite the many human rights challenges which persist in Europe and beyond.
In the words of one of the students:
Visiting the Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna offered a valuable opportunity to gain first-hand insights into the inner workings of one of the EU’s key independent bodies. The experience definitely deepened my understanding of how the FRA actively contributes to the promotion and implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights across Member States. Beyond its advisory role, I came to appreciate the complexity of the Agency’s mandate: gathering evidence, supporting national authorities, and fostering collaboration with civil society to ensure that fundamental rights are not only upheld in principle, but also translated into concrete, measurable practice.
We would like to thank the FRA and its staff for welcoming us on their premises this year again, and for taking the time to share their experience and view with us.