ABSTRACT
FRA occupies a specific place in the network of decentralized European Union agencies. Unlike most, it is not concerned with technical regulation of economic activity. The politically sensitive nature of fundamental rights and the existence of a greater range of, also non-EU, actors able to supply expertise in this field condition the political role FRA plays in the EU system. In this chapter we explore this role through the prism of three crucial factors: the mandate of the Agency; its budgetary and staff resources; and opportunities for policy relevance at the EU level. Our analysis points to a grounded view of the political role of FRA, which is arguably in keeping with the intentions that surrounded the Agency’s creation.
