Council Of Europe

Question 1

what is the council of europe? how many members are there?

Answer 1

the continent’s leading human rights organisation

47 members, 27 of them are in the EU

not part of the EU, but all EU countriesagreed to abide by the European convention on human rights

Question 2

what does the ECHR do? what is it made up of?

Answer 2

the european court of human rights oversees the implementation of the european convention on human rights

made up of judges from member countries

Question 3

what is the role of the strasbourg court in the council of europe

Answer 3

individual citizens can bring human rights violation complaints once all appeal possibilities are exhausted in their own country

Question 4

what is the EU preparing to do with the ECHR

Answer 4

sign up to the european convention on human rights to create the ability for citizens to access its articles of freedom

Question 5

what is the UK’s role in the council of europe

Answer 5

founder member

UK legal experts played major part in drafting the european convention on human rights and in 1998, incorporated the convention into UK law via the human rights act (HRA)

Question 6

what do some UK politicians think about the HRA

Answer 6

UK should’ve made own human rights bill rather than adopting the convention

Question 7

what does the european convention on human rights do

Answer 7

enshrines the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of everyone within a member state eg right to life, a fair trial, expression/press/thought/religion, protection against torture and inhumane treatment etc