The Fundamental Rights in a Changing World Lab (FRCL) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is a dynamic research hub conducting insightful, interdisciplinary work on a wide range of topics, from human trafficking and migration to European criminal law, with a growing focus on the impact of technological and AI-driven developments on fundamental rights. Recently defended PhD theses have addressed issues such as the principles of mutual trust and recognition in the EU, gender and sexuality in the robotic era, the rights of 'undesirable but unreturnable' migrants, and human trafficking.
Building on the strong fundamental rights expertise of its members, FRCL has developed a solid track record of engagement in European and national research projects that bridge academic insight and practical application. Currently, FRCL contributes to the PROMODE project, which examines the challenges of online criminal investigations through the combined lenses of criminal procedural law, data protection law, and European human rights law.
This ongoing work is rooted in FRCL’s sustained involvement in major collaborative initiatives at both EU and national levels. The lab has played an active role in projects addressing, among others, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (FAIR), accountability for human rights violations (Future-proofing human rights), child sexual abuse and exploitation (HEROES and ALUNA), violent extremism (EXIT EUROPE), migrant integration (REBUILD), human trafficking (DESIrE and TRACE), and criminal justice (LIVE_FOR). Through these contributions, FRCL has built extensive expertise and continues to shape research and policy debates across multiple domains.
FRCL also serves as the national contractor for FRANET, the multidisciplinary research network of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). In this capacity, the lab produces regular, state-of-the-art overviews of the human rights situation in Belgium across a variety of thematic areas, supporting the FRA in its monitoring and assessment activities.
In parallel, the members of FRCL pursue a broad range of individual research agendas that further reinforce the lab’s intellectual profile. Current areas of focus include human trafficking and the protection of migrant workers; the human rights implications of automated decision-making systems used by public authorities; the accountability of social media platforms under international criminal law; the intersection of criminal procedural law, data protection law, and European human rights law; EU consumer rights; and the impact of new technologies on human rights in the field of (cyber)security.
Through its project involvement, individual research, and active participation in international academic networks - ranging from joint PhDs and research stays abroad to editorial work and conference organisation - FRCL remains a vibrant and outward-looking research environment. The lab is also a member of the Brussels Interdisciplinary Research Center for Migration and Minorities (BIRMM), where it contributes to advancing interdisciplinary research on migration and minorities.