International Human Rights Law Content
European Human Rights Instruments
- European Conv. on HR and FF (ECHR) (1950).
- European Social Charter (1961).
- European Conv. for the Prevention of Torture
and IDTP (1989). - European Charter for Regional & Minority Languages (1992).
- Framework Conv. for the Protection of National Minorities (1995).
- European Conv. on Exercise of Childrens Rights (1996)
- European Conv. on Human Rights & Biomedicine (1997)
Europe: CoE System – Institutions (1)
- Secretary-General
–Head of CoE Secretariat
–Serves as depository for ratifications, reservations, renunciations
–Receives collective complaints under Europ. Social Charter
- Committee of Ministers
–Primary decision-making body
–Consists of foreign ministers or
deputies of member States
–Executes Court judgments; considers new applications; monitors compliance; adopts resolutions.
Europe: European Union System
European Court of Justice (ECJ)
Highest court interpreting EU law
Initially reluctant to address HR issues but had to reconcile EU provisions with rights of nationals
European Court of HR (CoE) and ECJ
Overlaps jurisdictionally; may have conflict
Impact of EU System in HR
Pioneer in economic rights, incl. labor regulations
Strong work in combating discrimination
Regional authority on social rights