(VIENNA) - The European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency has selected Denmark's Morten Kjaerum as its new director, it announced in a statement Friday in Vienna.

Its management board elected Kjaerum over Italy's Dario Carminati as he "best fulfilled the conditions for this post, based on his personal merit, experience in the field of fundamental rights and administrative and management skills".

The two men had been shortlisted by the European Commission following an open call for candidates.

The Fundamental Rights Agency -- which replaced the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia in March 2007 -- provides assistance to EU countries in implementing fundamental rights.

Kjaerum, 50, currently heads the Danish Institute for Human Rights. His five-year term will begin in June.

"With Morten Kjaerum, a highly respected and internationally recognised human rights specialist will be heading the Fundamental Rights Agency," management board chairwoman Anastasia Crickley said in the statement.

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