Human Rights

CoE Calls on Countries to Restrict Employer Data Use

April 10, 2015

The Council of Europe ("CoE") Committee of Ministers has issued a set of recommendations for its 47 member states calling for specific national restrictions on employers' retention and use of data on their employees.
NGOs Call for More EU Action on Economic, Social Rights

April 09, 2015

A group of nongovernmental organizations ("NGOs") have called for the EU to take action to ensure that its member states are upholding the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and do more to address "the root causes of poverty, social exclusion, discrimination and inequalities."
European Network: Deepen Implementation of ECHR

April 08, 2015

Meeting in Brussels, members of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions ("NHRIs") adopted a declaration expressing support for the full implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights ("ECHR") by NHRIs.
ECHR Rules Against Italy in "Torture" of Protesters

April 08, 2015

The European Court of Human Rights ("ECHR") has found that the beating of a 62-year-old protester at a G-8 Summit in Genoa by the Italian authorities amounted to torture and has criticized the Italian Government for not holding these authorities accountable.
Report Seeks Non-Application of ECHR on Battlefield

April 01, 2015

Responding to increasing U.K. human rights litigation relating to actions of soldiers on the battlefield, a report from the think tank Policy Exchange argues that Britain should exercise its right to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights ("ECHR") during times of military conflict.
Arnheim: U.K. Courts Not Required to Submit to ECHR

March 25, 2015

The think tank Civitas has published a paper by barrister Dr. Michael Arnheim arguing that U.K. courts have gone beyond British law in adhering to judgments of the European Court of Human Rights ("ECHR") and calling for legislation making clear that British judges are only subject to Parliamentary sovereignty.
ECJ Considers Adequacy of EU-U.S. Data Protection

March 18, 2015

The Register reports that the EU Court of Justice will soon consider whether Facebook violated the rights of its European users by transferring their data to the U.S. Government, and whether the EU-U.S. "safe harbour framework" has adequately protected such data.
NGO Criticizes EU Abortion Rights Report

March 18, 2015

The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe has responded to a recent resolution adopted by the European Parliament, including recognition of abortion as a human right, arguing that such an issue is only within the competence of national governments, not the EU.
MEPs Seek Human Rights Clauses in Agreements

March 18, 2015

In a recent vote, Members of the European Parliament ("MEPs") passed a measure calling for human rights clauses to be included in all EU international agreements.
EU Agency Seeks to Loosen Refugee Admission Rules

March 11, 2015

In light of the influx of refugees into EU member states, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has called for the EU and its members to provide greater opportunities for refugees to enter the bloc legally.