The report’s chapters review the main developments, identifying both achievements and areas of concern, regarding: the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; equality and non-discrimination; racism, xenophobia and related intolerance; Roma equality and inclusion; asylum, borders and migration; information society, privacy and data protection; rights of the child; access to justice; and the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The report covers the 27 EU Member States as well as the Republic of Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia (hereafter North Macedonia) and the Republic of Serbia.

This year’s focus chapter, ‘Social rights and equality in the light of the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic’ looks at how national recovery and resilience plans address the social vulnerabilities of their population. Yet it shows that only effective monitoring of the use of funds, involving statutory bodies with a human rights remit, will support governments in ensuring a rights-compliant recovery.