News story: Announcement of the UK Independent Member of the Fundamental Rights Agency

Charles Banner has been appointed as the UK Independent Member of the Management Board of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) from 25 September 2017 to 31 July 2022. However, the term of office but may be truncated at the point when the United Kingdom ceases to be a Member of the European Union.

The Agency provides European Union institutions with assistance and expertise on fundamental rights in liaison with the Council of Europe as well as other international human rights organisations. It is also empowered to provide assistance and guidance to Member States but only when they are implementing Union law.

The Management Board is composed of one independent person appointed by each Member State, one independent person appointed by the Council of Europe and two representatives of the European Commission.

Members of the Management Board of the FRA are appointed by the Secretary of State and are not regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Biography

Charles Banner was called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2004 and to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2010. He practices across both jurisdictions as well as internationally, based at Landmark Chambers in London. His practice principally falls within two sectors: (i) Urban development, infrastructure and energy, and (ii) Government and regulation. EU law and human rights feature heavily in his work and he has appeared in several cases before the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights. He is co-founder and Deputy Head of Landmark International (the international brand of Landmark Chambers), a Council Member of the UK Environmental Law Association and (with effect from April 2018) an Independent Non-Executive Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ UK and Ireland Regulatory Sub-Board.