Pleadings before the European Court of Human Rights

The protection of human rights offered by the procedures before the European Court of Human Rights relies in particular on the mechanism of individual applications.

Since the entry into force of Protocol 11 (1998), natural and legal persons claiming to be the victims of a violation of the rights set forth in the Convention have direct access to the Court. The training of practitioners on this procedure before the Court and more particularly with regard to the strict criteria of admissibility is therefore essential to enhance the chances of admission of individual applications.

It is a fact that today 90 to 95% of applications submitted to the Court are declared inadmissible. A high failure rate may be understandable when petitions are brought without legal support but is unacceptable when applicants are advised by lawyers.

Beyond the admissibility stage, the outcome of the case will be likewise influenced by the quality of legal representation before the Court.

The seminar is primarily focused on the practical aspects of the procedure before the Court. Judges and members of the Registry will present the key features of the mechanism of individual application and proceedings before the Court, as well as Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Right to a fair trial).

The seminar will be interactive and offer time for a broad range of questions. Documentation will be provided to the participants.

SPEAKERS:

Josep CASADEVALL : Judge, Section President at the European Court of Human Rights (Andorra)

Giorgio MALINVERNI : Judge at the European Court of Human Rights (Switzerland)

Luis LÓPEZ GUERRA : Judge at the European Court of Human Rights (Spain)

Anna AUSTIN : Head of Legal Division, Registry of the European Court of Human Rights (Ireland)

Michelle LAFFERTY : Lawyer, Registry of the European Court of Human Rights (United Kingdom)

Please download the programme and the registration form.