Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment (FRIA)
A Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment is an evaluation that certain deployers of high-risk AI systems must carry out under the EU AI Act to identify and mitigate the system’s impact on people’s fundamental rights before putting it into use.
Introduced by the EU AI Act, a FRIA applies to specific deployers of high-risk systems — notably public bodies and private entities providing public services, plus certain uses like creditworthiness and insurance risk assessment.
The assessment describes how and how often the system will be used, the categories of people affected, the specific risks of harm to their fundamental rights, the human-oversight measures, and the steps to take if risks materialize.
A FRIA is distinct from a privacy impact assessment: PIAs focus on data protection, while a FRIA covers the broader set of rights — non-discrimination, dignity, access to justice, and more. See the EU regulatory framework for who must complete one.
