Policy background The draft decisions on the participation of the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Serbia as observers in the work of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
The EU Fundamental Rights Agency ("the FRA") was established in 2007 by Regulation 168/2007 EC ("the Regulation"). Its function is to provide assistance and expertise on fundamental rights to the EU institutions and Member States. It collects and analyses data across the EU and provides advice by way of reports and opinions, raising awareness of fundamental rights.
	Under Article 28 of the Regulation, the FRA is open to the participation of candidate countries as observers. The draft decisions are on the participation of the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Serbia as observers in the work of the FRA. The draft decisions will not, themselves, confer observer status. Instead they establish an EU position at other bodies, the EU-the Republic of Albania Stabilisation and Association Council and the EU-the Republic of Serbia Stabilisation and Association Council. Participation as observers, and the conditions of doing so, are determined by the respective Stabilisation and Association Councils.
	The draft decisions are based on Articles 218(9) and 352 of TFEU. They have been proposed by the European Commission and can be made by the Council acting unanimously after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament.
	The proposal includes the European Commission's estimate of the contributions that Albania and Serbia will be making to the EU budget in order to participate in the FRA.  The figures for Albania are EUR 160,000 for Year 1, EUR 163,000 for Year 2 and EUR 166,000 for Year 3.  The figures for Serbia are EUR 180,000 for Year 1, EUR 183,000 for Year 2 and EUR 186,000 for Year 3.
	The draft decisions were deposited in Parliament on 9 March 2016. They were cleared from scrutiny by the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 13 April 2016 and by the House of Lords Europe Select Committee on 12 April 2016.
	The text of the draft decisions is now settled and it is intended that the proposals are concluded in the Council as soon as possible.