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European Court of Human Rights

01 May 1994

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The Committee of Ministers of the 32 states of the Council of Europe agreed in Strasbourg on 21 April to create a new single tier Court of Human Rights. This is to replace the old two-tier system under which the European Commission of Human Rights considered applications before they were heard by the Court of Human Rights. Under the new arrangements individuals will apply directly to the Court which will normally sit in chambers of seven judges. Only in exceptional cases will the Court sit as a grand chamber of 17 judges. Clearly unfounded cases will be dealt with by a committee of three judges. The change is intended to speed up the handling of cases which currently can take up to five years.

The UK government supported the creation of the new court but maintained its opposition to giving a permanent right to the individual to apply to the court. Since 1966 UK government's have made successive five yearly declarations recognising Court and the right of appeal to it by individual.

Financial Times 22.4.94; Hansard Lords 12.4.94.

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