The Constitutional Relevance of the ECHR in Domestic and European Law

The Constitutional Relevance of the ECHR in Domestic and European Law
Author: Giorgio Repetto
Publisher: Intersentia Uitgevers N V
Total Pages: 251
Release: 2013
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9781780681184

In recent years, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) gained unexpected relevance in the European constitutional culture. On the one hand, its increasing importance is closely linked to institutional reforms that strengthened the European Court of Human Rights' reputation vis-a-vis the Member States. On the other hand, and even more importantly, the ECHR's significance arises from a changing perception of its constitutional potential. Starting with the assumption that the ECHR is transforming the European constitutional landscape, this book shows that the European Convention raises unprecedented problems that involve, first of all, its own theoretical status as constitutional instrument that ensures the protection of human rights in Europe. Changing paradigms concerning its incorporation in domestic law, as well as the growing conflicts about the protection of some rights and liberties that are deeply rooted in national legal contexts (such as teaching of religion, bio law, and rights of political minorities), are jointly examined in order to offer a unified methodology for the study of European constitutional law centered upon human rights. For a detailed analysis of these issues, the book examines the different facets of the ECHR's constitutional relevance by separating the ECHR's role as a 'factor of Europeanization' for national constitutional systems (Part I) from its role as a veritable European transnational constitution in the field of human rights (Part II). Written for legal scholars focusing on the emerging trends of European and transnational constitutional law, the book investigates the basic tenets of the role of the ECHR as a cornerstone of European constitutionalism.

The Impact of the ECHR on Democratic Change in Central and Eastern Europe

The Impact of the ECHR on Democratic Change in Central and Eastern Europe
Author: Iulia Motoc
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 559
Release: 2016-08-18
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1316558835

High hopes were placed in the ability of the European Convention and the Court of Human Rights to help realise fundamental freedoms and civil and political rights in the post-communist countries. This book explores the effects of the Strasbourg human rights system on the domestic law, politics and reality of the new member states. With contributions by past and present judges of the European Court of Human Rights and assorted constitutional courts, this book provides an insider view of the relationship between Central and Eastern European states and the ECHR, and examines the fundamental role played by the ECHR in the process of democratisation, particularly the areas of the right to liberty, the right to propriety, freedom of expression, and minorities' rights.

Time and Tax: Issues in International, EU, and Constitutional Law

Time and Tax: Issues in International, EU, and Constitutional Law
Author: Werner Haslehner
Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.
Total Pages: 434
Release: 2018-12-20
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9403501642

Time is a crucial dimension in the application of any law. In tax law, however, where an environment characterized by rapid change on the national, European, and international levels complicates the provision of accurate legal advice, timing is particularly sensitive. This book is the first to analyse the relationship between time and three key areas of tax: treaties, EU law, and constitutional law issues, such as legal certainty and individual rights. Among the numerous timing issues arising out of applying tax rules, the book addresses the following: – time limits within which relief must be requested; – statutes of limitation for claiming a tax refund; – transitional issues relating to changes in tax treaties; – attribution of profits and expenses to a moving or closed-down business; – effect of tax-related CJEU decisions and EU directives; – compliance of exit tax regimes with free movement; – limits of retroactivity under principles protected by the EU Charter and the ECHR; and – conflict between efficiency of taxation and individual rights. Derived from a recent conference organized by the prestigious ATOZ Chair for European and International Taxation at the University of Luxembourg, the book brings together contributions from leading tax experts from various areas of tax practice, academia, and the judiciary. Among other issues, the book notably expands on how economic theory can inform a constitutional analysis of the timing of taxation. There is no other work that concentrates so usefully on the difficulties associated with applying tax rules – whether arising from treaties, jurisprudence, or policy – to changing circumstances over time. This book will quickly prove itself to be an indispensable resource for European tax lawyers, policymakers, company counsels, and academics.

National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law

National Constitutions in European and Global Governance: Democracy, Rights, the Rule of Law
Author: Anneli Albi
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 1522
Release: 2019-05-29
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9462652732

This two-volume book, published open access, brings together leading scholars of constitutional law from twenty-nine European countries to revisit the role of national constitutions at a time when decision-making has increasingly shifted to the European and transnational level. It offers important insights into three areas. First, it explores how constitutions reflect the transfer of powers from domestic to European and global institutions. Secondly, it revisits substantive constitutional values, such as the protection of constitutional rights, the rule of law, democratic participation and constitutional review, along with constitutional court judgments that tackle the protection of these rights and values in the transnational context, e.g. with regard to the Data Retention Directive, the European Arrest Warrant, the ESM Treaty, and EU and IMF austerity measures. The responsiveness of the ECJ regarding the above rights and values, along with the standard of protection, is also assessed. Thirdly, challenges in the context of global governance in relation to judicial review, democratic control and accountability are examined. On a broader level, the contributors were also invited to reflect on what has increasingly been described as the erosion or ‘twilight’ of constitutionalism, or a shift to a thin version of the rule of law, democracy and judicial review in the context of Europeanisation and globalisation processes. The national reports are complemented by a separately published comparative study, which identifies a number of broader trends and challenges that are shared across several Member States and warrant wider discussion. The research for this publication and the comparative study were carried out within the framework of the ERC-funded project ‘The Role and Future of National Constitutions in European and Global Governance’. The book is aimed at scholars, researchers, judges and legal advisors working on the interface between national constitutional law and EU and transnational law. The extradition cases are also of interest to scholars and practitioners in the field of criminal law. Anneli Albi is Professor of European Law at the University of Kent, United Kingdom. Samo Bardutzky is Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

European Constitutional Courts towards Data Retention Laws

European Constitutional Courts towards Data Retention Laws
Author: Marek Zubik
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2020-10-30
Genre: Law
ISBN: 3030571890

The book analyses the impact the jurisprudence of the constitutional courts of EU Member States and the Court of Justice of the European Union has had on the perception of freedom of communications in the digital era with respect to these courts’ judgments regarding regulating storage and access to telecommunications data (known as telecommunications data retention) from 2008 to 2017. To do so, it examines the jurisprudence of the constitutional courts of Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia, i.e. those courts that have already ruled on domestic provisions regulating telecommunications data retention. Further, it investigates the judgments of the Court of Justice of European Union regarding directive 2006/24/EC regulating telecommunications data retention along with relevant jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. As such, the book provides a comparative study of jurisprudence and national measures to implement the Data Retention Directive. Moreover, the book discusses whether our current understanding of protection of freedom of communications guaranteed by the constitutions of EU member states and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which was developed in the era of analogue communications, remains accurate in the era of digital technologies and mass surveillance (simultaneously applied by states and private corporations). In this context, the book reconstructs constitutional standards that currently apply in the EU towards data retention. This book presents a unique comparative analysis of all judgments concerning Directive 2006/24/EC, which can be used in the legislative process on the EU forum aimed at introducing new principles of data retention and by constitutional courts in the context of comparative argumentation.

Constituting Europe

Constituting Europe
Author: Andreas Føllesdal
Publisher:
Total Pages: 441
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN:

At fifty, the European Court of Human Rights finds itself in a new institutional setting. With the EU joining the European Convention on Human Rights in the near future, and the Court increasingly having to address the responsibility of states in UN-lead military operations, the Court faces important challenges at the national, European and international levels. In light of recent reform discussions, this volume addresses the multi-level relations of the Court by drawing on existing debates, pointing to current deficits and highlighting the need for further improvements.

Protecting the right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights

Protecting the right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights
Author: Bychawska-Siniarska, Dominika
Publisher: Council of Europe
Total Pages: 124
Release: 2017-08-04
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

European Convention on Human Rights – Article 10 – Freedom of expression 1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises. 2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary. In the context of an effective democracy and respect for human rights mentioned in the Preamble to the European Convention on Human Rights, freedom of expression is not only important in its own right, but it also plays a central part in the protection of other rights under the Convention. Without a broad guarantee of the right to freedom of expression protected by independent and impartial courts, there is no free country, there is no democracy. This general proposition is undeniable. This handbook is a practical tool for legal professionals from Council of Europe member states who wish to strengthen their skills in applying the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights in their daily work.

The European Court of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights
Author: Helmut P. Aust
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2021-04-30
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1839108347

This insightful book considers how the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is faced with numerous challenges which emanate from authoritarian and populist tendencies arising across its member states. It argues that it is now time to reassess how the ECHR responds to such challenges to the protection of human rights in the light of its historical origins.