ENNHRI warns against the weakening of European Convention on Human Rights system
A high-level conference on reform of the European Convention on Human Rights system will take place in Copenhagen on 12 and 13 April 2018. ENNHRI - the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions, of which the Scottish Human Rights Commission is a member - has examined the draft Declaration published in lead-up to the High-Level Conference. It has made a submission on the subject for the Danish Presidency of the Council of Europe in which it warns against the weakening of the Convention System.
In its submission, ENNHRI welcomes any initiative aimed at improving the substantive protection and promotion of human rights at European level, and which reinforces the efficacy of the Convention system in upholding fundamental rights. At the same time, ENNHRI notes that the Convention system has undergone a series of reforms over recent years many of which have not yet had time to have their full effect on the Court and considers that the draft Declaration contains elements that are problematic, and pose a risk to the proper independent functioning of the Court.