ABTTF admitted as member to the Fundamental Rights Platform

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) is admitted to the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP), which is a network for cooperation and information exchange, set to act as the main channel for the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency’s (FRA) cooperation with civil society.

ABTTF also participated in a consultative meeting held in Brussels with representatives of civil society on the setting up of the Fundamental Rights Platform on 10-11 December 2007 which formed the final stage in the consultation process in which FRA has engaged with those representatives of civil society at the EU level who are concerned with human rights and non discrimination. Plenary meetings decided to set the Platform as a mechanism for enhancing the exchange of information and pooling of knowledge between FRA and civil society stakeholders which are professionally concerned in human rights and fundamental rights and freedoms, and display its activities built on the European Union Fundamental Rights Agencys Directorate.

The specific tasks of the Platform, which is establised with the aim of promoting dialogue with civil society and raising public awareness about activities of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights established through Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 of 15 February 2007 that is being built on the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), are:

1. to make suggestions on the Annual Work Programme,
2. to give feedback and suggest follow-up on the Annual Report,
3. to communicate outcomes and recommendations of conferences, seminars and meetings relevant to the work of the Agency.

Besides, the Agency will interact with the participants of the Fundamental Rights Platform in accordance with specific needs related to areas identified as a priority for the Agency’s work. The first meeting of the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) took place on 7 and 8 October 2008 focused on the suggestions for the Agency’s work programme in 2009 and, it collected feedback on the Annual Report 2008. The next phase in the setting up of the Platform is to design the basic structures for its work and the Agency with an established interim group will do this during the first half of 2009 in consultation with the current Platform members.

Evaluating the admission of ABTTF to the Fundamental Rights Platform, Chairman Halit Habipoğlu said, “It is important that the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, which is built on the the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, will function in cooperation with civil society partners through the Fundamental Rights Platform. All you might know that Our Federation participated in consultative meetings on the establishment of the Platform, and it will be in cooperation with the Fundamental Rights Agency which does have the task to advice to EU institutions and Member States. Our admission to such Platform on behalf of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority is a result of decisive activities at the international level. ABTTF, will do its best and contribute to the work of the Platform and try to put its effort ot end discrimination at all levels.”