Minister Roche welcomes Declaration and Action Plan of ECHR

The Minister for European Affairs, Dick Roche, T.D. today attended the High Level Conference at Interlaken, Switzerland on the future of the European Court of Human Rights.  The conference has been organised by Switzerland, which is currently chairing the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

One of the main driving factors for having the conference is the backlog of cases currently facing the European Court of Human Rights which now stands at over 100,000 - many of which are repetitive cases or are inadmissible. 

The Conference adopted a Declaration and Action Plan to establish a road map for the future of the Court.

Speaking at the Conference on the future of the European Court of Human Rights, atInterlaken,Switzerland, Minister Roche said: 

“We are all beneficiaries of the human rights culture nurtured by the Convention and the Court.  As such we have a responsibility to ensure there is no further deterioration in the current crisis faced by the Court with its overwhelming backlog.  Today should mark the beginning of a commitment, anchored in national administrations, to support and strengthen the full implementation of the Convention system at every level.”

Concluding his statement, the Minister said:

“We are pleased that there will be a timetable for future work.  I hope that this will not only be respected but accelerated.  Much reflection by distinguished personalities and groups has already been devoted to the better operation of the Court.  We must now build on that work and make positive action our keyword.”

ENDS

Press Office

18 February 2010

Note for Editors

Continued reform of the European Court of Human Rights is a high priority for the current Swiss Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. 

Attached below is the Minister’s statement and the adopted Declaration and Action Plan.