Human Rights Monitoring Mechanisms of the Council of Europe

Description

The book studies the human rights monitoring mechanisms of the Council of Europe. It provides an in-depth examination of six such mechanisms: the Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the CPT), the European Committee of Social Rights (the ECSR), the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (the ACFC), the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (the CECL). The human rights monitoring mechanisms of the Council of Europe seek to establish a permanent dialogue with governments to encourage them to better implement human rights treaties. They function principally through the use of national reports, on which basis they make recommendations, and may also visit or question states directly. The book looks at each mechanism in turn, discussing their composition, functions and working methods, as well as their relationship with other actors. It includes both a general discussion of the role of European human rights monitoring mechanisms as well as a comparative analysis of these mechanisms. The book aims to provide a clear understanding of the underlying approach of European human rights monitoring mechanisms and the challenges faced by them in terms of effectiveness. It will be useful for practitioners and students alike, especially those following courses in human rights or related fields. Human Rights Monitoring Mechanisms of the Council of Europe......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 14 Author biographies......Page 16 I.1 Introduction......Page 18 I.2.1 Scope of the book......Page 19 I.2.1.1 Non-judicial mechanisms......Page 20 I.2.1.2 Non-political mechanisms......Page 21 I.2.2.1 Treaty-based v. non-treaty-based mechanisms......Page 23 I.2.2.2 Substitute v. reinforcement mechanisms......Page 24 I.2.2.3 Substantive rights v. vulnerable groups......Page 25 I.3 Human rights monitoring......Page 26 I.4 Permanent dialogue......Page 27 I.5 Cross-issues of the book......Page 29 I.6 Presentation of the chapters......Page 30 I.7 Bibliography......Page 33 1.2.1 Origins......Page 34 1.2.2 Mandate......Page 36 1.3.1 Country monitoring......Page 40 1.3.2 Thematic advice and awareness raising......Page 45 1.4.1 Cooperation with national human rights structures and NGOs......Page 48 1.4.2 Relationship with other Council of Europe bodies......Page 50 1.4.3 Cooperation with other international organisations......Page 53 1.5 Challenges......Page 55 1.6 Conclusion......Page 57 1.7 Bibliography......Page 58 2.1 Introduction......Page 60 2.2.1 The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment......Page 61 2.2.1.1 The geographical scope of application of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment......Page 62 2.2.3.2 General reports......Page 63 2.2.4 Strengths and weaknesses of the legal basis......Page 64 2.3.2 The scope of the mandate ‘ratione personae’ and 'ratione materiae'......Page 65 2.3.3.1 Onsite inspections......Page 67 2.3.3.3 Public statement......Page 68 2.3.3.4 Standard setting through monitoring......Page 69 2.3.4 The principles of cooperation and confi dentiality......Page 70 2.4.1 Legal criteria for membership......Page 71 2.4.2 Appointment procedure......Page 73 2.4.4 Secretariat......Page 74 2.5.1 Visits and monitoring cycles......Page 75 2.5.2.2 Cooperation with other bodies......Page 76 2.5.4 The reporting procedure......Page 77 2.6.1 Acceptance and implementation of recommendations......Page 78 2.6.2.1 The public statement procedure and high-level talks......Page 80 2.6.3 Strength and weaknesses of the dialogue between the CPT and member States......Page 81 2.7.1.2 Committee of Ministers......Page 82 2.7.1.4 Commissioner for Human Rights......Page 83 2.7.2 Cooperation with OPCAT bodies......Page 84 2.8.4 Compiling its ‘core’ standards......Page 85 2.10 Bibliography......Page 86 3.1 Introduction......Page 88 3.2.1 Origins and evolution of the European Social Charter system......Page 89 3.2.2 Distinguishing features of the European Social Charter......Page 91 3.3.2 Monitoring procedure......Page 94 3.3.2.1 State reports......Page 95 3.3.2.3 Governmental Committee......Page 97 3.3.2.4 Role of the Committee of Ministers......Page 98 3.3.2.5 Reports on non-accepted provisions......Page 99 3.3.3 Interpretative statements and the digest of case law......Page 100 3.3.4 Working methods and information sources......Page 101 3.3.5 The ECSR’s conclusions: European social policy dialogue in action......Page 104 3.4.1 Relationship with national courts and with the European Court of Human Rights......Page 109 3.4.2 Complementary nature of the collective complaints mechanism......Page 114 3.6 Bibliography......Page 115 4.1 Introduction......Page 117 4.2.1 Origin and drafting......Page 118 4.2.2 Nature of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities......Page 119 4.2.3 Obligations......Page 121 4.3.1 The ACFC......Page 122 4.3.2.1 State reports......Page 125 4.3.2.2 Information from other sources......Page 129 4.3.2.3 Country visits......Page 130 4.3.2.4 Opinions of the ACFC......Page 131 4.3.2.5 Comments of State Parties......Page 134 4.3.2.6 Resolutions of the Committee of Ministers......Page 135 4.3.2.7 Follow-up......Page 136 4.3.3 Commentaries 79......Page 137 4.4 Conclusion......Page 140 4.5 Bibliography......Page 141 5.2 Background......Page 144 5.2.2 Mandate......Page 145 5.3 Composition......Page 147 5.4.1 Country-by-country approach......Page 148 5.4.1.1 Evolution of ECRI’s monitoring procedure......Page 149 5.4.1.2 Key principles underlying ECRI’s country monitoring......Page 152 5.4.2 General themes......Page 154 5.4.3.2 Cooperating with NGOs......Page 156 5.5 Relationship with the European Court of Human Rights......Page 157 5.5.1 Standard setting......Page 158 5.5.2 Infl uence on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights......Page 159 5.6 Impact at the national level......Page 160 5.6.1 ECRI’s likely impact......Page 161 5.6.2 Improving its impact......Page 163 5.7 Conclusion......Page 165 5.8 Bibliography......Page 166 6.1 Introduction......Page 167 6.2.1 Origin and drafting......Page 168 6.2.2 Nature of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages......Page 169 6.2.3 Obligations of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages......Page 171 6.3 Monitoring the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (Part IV, Articles 15-17)......Page 172 6.3.1 The CECL......Page 173 6.3.2 The monitoring procedure......Page 175 6.3.2.1 Periodical reports......Page 176 6.3.2.2 Information from other sources......Page 178 6.3.2.3 On-the-spot visits......Page 180 6.3.2.4 Reports of the CECL......Page 181 6.3.2.5 Comments of State Parties......Page 183 6.3.2.6 Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers......Page 184 6.4 Conclusion......Page 185 6.5 Bibliography......Page 186 C.1 Introduction......Page 188 C.2.1 Country monitoring......Page 189 C.2.1.1 State reporting......Page 190 C.2.1.3 Reports of the monitoring mechanisms......Page 191 C.2.1.4 Resolutions of the Committee of Ministers......Page 192 C.2.2 Standard setting......Page 193 C.2.3 Cooperation with civil society organisations......Page 194 C.3 Fundamental principles of European human rights monitoring mechanisms......Page 195 C.3.1 Cooperation......Page 196 C.4 Factors potentially enhancing the effectiveness of European human rights monitoring mechanisms......Page 197 C.4.1 Membership......Page 198 C.4.2 Flexibility......Page 200 C.4.4 Visibility......Page 201 C.5 Relationship with other actors......Page 202 C.5.1 Political mechanisms......Page 203 C.5.2 Judicial mechanisms......Page 204 C.5.3 Other European human rights monitoring mechanisms......Page 206 C.6.1 Resources......Page 208 C.6.3 Timing......Page 209 C.6.4 Follow-up......Page 210 C.7 Conclusion......Page 211 Annexes......Page 214 1 Resolution (99)50......Page 216 2 The ECPT......Page 219 3 Part IV of the ESC (Articles 21–29)......Page 227 4 The Turin Protocol......Page 230 5 Section IV of the FCNM (Articles 24–26)......Page 235 6 Resolution (97) 10......Page 238 7 Resolution CM/Res(2009)3 amending Resolution (97)10......Page 244 8 Resolution Res(2002)8......Page 245 9 Part IV of the ECRML (Articles 15–17)......Page 248 10 The Rules of Procedures of the CECL......Page 251 Index......Page 256