The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is a body of the European Union (EU), established through Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 on the 15 February 2007. It is based in Vienna and is being built on the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). A primary task of the FRA is to provide the Community and its Member States with objective, reliable and comparable information and data on racism, xenophobia, islamophobia and anti-Semitism at the European level in order to help the EU and its Member States to establish measures or formulate courses actions against racism and xenophobia.

The European Information Network on Racism and Xenophobia (RAXEN) is one of the key tools of the FRA to provide the European Union and its Member States with information and research on the phenomena of racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

This 'mapping exercise' was the first task undertaken by RAXEN. The objective being to identify organisations, activities and publications relating to the fight against racism and xenophobia throughout the European Union. This information is made available through the FRA's online database.

Since 2002 the network has been involved in generating country reports on a number of thematic issues including employment, racist violence, education, legislation and housing. The FRA uses these reports to generate comparative analysis on racism and discrimination in Europe.

Since 2002 the network has been involved in a rapid response function. NFPs are required to respond to urgent information requests. For example in 2002 the NFPs were asked to provide information on the nature and strength of Islamaphobia after 11 September 2001.

In preparation for EU Accession, NFPs were established in the ten new Member State countries in March 2003. In the context of the Phare programme, the Accession State NFPs were required to carry out the overall mapping exercise. Following accession ten new NFPs were appointed directly to RAXEN.

The FRA carries out its tasks independently. It cooperates with national and international bodies and organisations, in particular with the Council of Europe. It also works closely with civil society organisations.