Ad hoc Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law – Activity report 2020-2023

The ad-hoc Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law (FRRL) was set up in 2018 as a horizontal body within the EESC, and was tasked with enhancing the contribution of organised civil society in strengthening fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law and responding to the shrinking civic space for civil society organisations.

This report summarises the main activities led by the FRRL Group between 2020 and 2023. The FRRL Group has concentrated its efforts on listening to and conveying the voice of civil society to the EU institutions and Member States. It has carried out country visits to create a dialogue about EU values, including fundamental rights economic and social rights and held conferences and hearings to discuss, among other things, how to address the impact of COVID-19, and has been involved in EESC opinions on diverse topics including, for example, the rule of law and the recovery, media freedom, and how to better communicate the rule of law.