Crucial institution
The Scientific Committee (SC) is composed of 11 members, and its function is to help "ensure the high scientific quality" of the work of the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA). The FRA is a crucial institution recognized as a unique and independent centre of excellence for promoting and protecting human rights in the European Union (EU).
The EU founded FRA as an independent body in 2007, with its headquarters in Vienna. FRA’s work is based on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, and is very important for ensuring an EU of values that respects human rights. FRA’s mandate and function is more relevant than ever, as "values" are losing their currency in the current transactional political modus, and as high profile politicians across Europe and beyond pursue political agendas that go against established human rights.
FRA's work on fundamental rights protection in the EU and affiliated candidate countries has never been more important and deserving of strong support! Norway has been supporting this work through the EEA and Norway grants.
The Scientific Committee meets 4 times per year, two times online and two times in person in Vienna.
More important mission than ever
Professor Zyberi says that being a member of the Scientific Committee has opened a new window into the work of FRA that monitors human rights in a common space of about 450 million people.
As he emphasizes, working together with excellent human rights experts as Kirsten Roberts Lyer (chair for 2024-2025), John Morijn (chair 2023-2024 and vice-chair for 2025-2026), Marie-Laure Basilien-Gainche, Delia Ferri, Colin Harvey, Martins Paparinskis, Nicola Jägers, Paul De Hert, Laura Morales Diez de Ulzurrun, and Dia Anagnostou has been an enriching professional experience over the last 2,5 years of a 5 year non-renewable mandate (June 2023 - June 2028).
For Professor Zyberi, FRA's mission is even more important in monitoring the human rights record of EU candidate countries — including his native Albania — and helping them improve the domestic situation as they try to join the EU.