Secretaris Generaal Raad van Europa blij met toetreding EU tot Europese Conventie voor Mensenrechten (en)

Press release - 699(2007)

Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis welcomes the EU decision to join the European Convention on Human Rights

Strasbourg, 19.10.2007 - "I welcome the fact that Article 6 of the new Reform Treaty establishes the legal basis for EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights. EU accession to this Council of Europe Convention will close an important gap in human rights protection in Europe, and people will no longer be deprived of the right to complain about abuses of their human rights committed in areas in which EU member states have transferred their powers to Brussels.

Of course, I can appreciate that this accession can only take place after the Reform Treaty has entered into force, and that it is likely to take some time. In the meantime we will need to resolve several legal, administrative and financial issues. All these arrangements will need to be agreed not only by the EU, but also by the 47member countries of the Council of Europe. That is why the talks should start immediately".

Council of Europe Press Division

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