22.2.2007 Official Journal of the European Union L 53/1 | (Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is obligatory) REGULATIONS COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 168/2007 of 15 February 2007 establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 308 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, 4) Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions, Whereas: (1) The European Union is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and funda- mental freedoms, and the rule of law, which are common values to the Member States. (2)  The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European (6) Union (3, bearing in mind its status and scope, and the accompanying explanations, reflects the rights as they result, in particular, from the constitutional traditions and international obligations common to the Member States, the Treaty on European Union, the Community () O] C 88, 11.4.2006, p. 37. () O] C 364, 18.12.2000, p. 1. Treaties, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the social charters adopted by the Community and by the Council of Europe and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Communities and of the European Court of Human Rights. The Community and its Member States must respect fundamental rights when implementing Community law. Greater knowledge of, and broader awareness of, funda- mental rights issues in the Union are conducive to ensuring full respect of fundamental rights. It would contribute to the attainment of this objective to establish a Community agency whose tasks would be to provide information and data on fundamental rights matters. Moreover, developing effective institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights is a common value of the international and European societies, as expressed by Recommendation No R (97) 14 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe of 30 September 1997. The Representatives of the Member States, meeting within the European Council on 13 December 2003, agreed to build upon the existing European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia established by Regu- lation (EC) No 1035/97 (%) and to extend its mandate to make it a Human Rights Agency. They also decided on that occasion that the seat of the Agency should remain in Vienna. The Commission agreed and indicated its intention of presenting a proposal to amend Regulation (EC) No 1035/97 in that respect. The Commission subsequently issued its Communication of 25 October 2004 on the Fundamental Rights Agency, on the basis of which a large public consultation was carried out. () OJ L 151, 10.6.1997, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1652/2003 (O] L 245, 29.9.2003, p. 33).