In order to ensure complementarity and added value, the Agency coordinates its activities with those of the Council of Europe, particularly with regard to its Annual Work Programme and cooperation with civil society. 

To that end, the European Community entered into an agreement with the Council of Europe for the purpose of establishing close cooperation between the latter and the Agency. In July 2015, the Council of Europe nominated Prof. Rainer Hofmann as independent person to sit in the FRA Executive Board and in the FRA Management Board. The independent person appointed by the Council of Europe participates in the decision making of the Management Board which, in particular, adopts the Annual Work Programme and the Annual Report and appoints Scientific Committee members. Prof. Hofmann succeeds Ms de Boer-Buquicchio and Mr Guy De Vel. The FRA cooperates closely with the following bodies of the Council of Europe:

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (link is external) 

European Court of Human Rights (link is external) 

Commissioner for Human Rights (link is external) 

Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law (link is external) 

Directorate General Democracy (link is external) 

Conference of INGOs (link is external) 

Contact: Mario Oetheimer, FRA contact on Council of Europe cooperation FRA_CoEcooperation(at)fra.europa.eu