International activities The exchange of expertise with other ombudsman institutions also played a key role last year. The range of queries was considerable, covering different topics, such as the duties and competencies of the AOB, the national legislative situation in the area of domestic violence, problems relatng to access to information, diverse aspects of ethnic profiling and interaction with the police. 2.4. Exchange of expertise International conferences The first meeting of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) with national human rights organizations in Vienna on 16 May 2008, at which AOB was represented by one expert, enabled insight into the work methods and goals of the newly formed FRA. The AOB seeks closer cooperation, as was clearly expressed by Ombudsperson Dr. Brinek during the First Conference on Fundamental Rights, which was held by FRA in cooperation with the French Ministry of Justice from 8 to 9 December 2008 in Paris. EU Agency for Fundamental Rights The meeting of the liaison officers of the European Network for Ombudspersons and similar institutions, which took place from 1 to 3 June 2008 in Strasbourg, was utilised by the AOB as an opportunity to continue the cooperation with the European ombudspersons. The Network organised the Sixth Seminar of Regional Ombudspersons and Petition Committees from the EU in Berlin from 2 to 4 November 2008. The topic was: Protection of Society's Weakest: The Role of Complaints and Petitions, attracting the participation of ombudsperson Mag. Stoisits. European Network for Ombudspersons 2.5. Research project The study initiated by Univ.-Prof. Kucsko-Stadlmayer (University of Vienna) in 2005 entitled, European Ombudsman Institutions, was published by Springer in spring of 2008. The English version of the study followed in autumn 2008. The detailed publication (more than 500 pages), which undertakes a legal comparison of 49 European ombudsman institutions, has been extremely positively received, which is why the continuation of the study project on an international level is now being considered. International comparative law 32nd Report of the Austrian Ombudsman Board to the National Council and the Federal Council 2008 15