Dr Mario Oetheimer is Scientific Coordinator at the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Since he joined the Agency in 2009, he has coordinated the Agency’s work in the area of Information Society, Privacy and Data Protection. Among others, Mario managed the Agency’s research project on Surveillance by intelligence services in the EU: fundamental rights safeguards and remedies. In the context of this project, the FRA published, at the request of the European Parliament, a 2023 update to support the work of the PEGA inquiry committee. His areas of expertise with respect to FRA’s work include: artificial intelligence, data protection, freedom of expression and international human rights law, in particular the European Court of Human Rights’ case law. 

He previously worked for the Council of Europe for 13 years, first with its media division and then with the research division of the European Court of Human Rights. 

Mario Oetheimer holds a PhD in public law, and is the author of the book Harmonisation of Freedom of Expression in Europe (2001) in French. He has authored several articles on freedom of expression and the European Court of Human Rights.