On 22 June 2016, the European
Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Court of Human
Rights launch a practical handbook on European law relating to access to
justice.
“Access to justice is not just a right in itself. It
is also a key enabler for making other fundamental rights a reality,” says FRA Director Michael
O’Flaherty. “This practical guide provides legal practitioners with
a key legal resource to help them actively support all those who face barriers
in fully and effectively enjoying access to justice.”
“This handbook summarises key access to
justice principles, drawing on a wide body of European law and jurisprudence,”
says President of the European Court of Human Rights Guido Raimondi. “Providing
easy-to-use information on the main standards in Europe will greatly assist
legal practitioners ensure everyone seeking justice has proper support, a fair
trial and access to effective remedies.”
The Handbook on European law relating to
access to justice is a comprehensive guide to European law in this
area. It seeks to raise awareness and improve knowledge of relevant standards
set by the European Union and the Council of Europe, particularly through the
case law of the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of Human
Rights.
This handbook is designed to assist judges,
prosecutors and legal practitioners involved in litigation in EU and Council of
Europe Member States with legal issues relating to access to justice.
Non-governmental organisations and other bodies that assist individuals in
accessing justice will also find it useful.
The publication focuses principally on civil and
criminal law. It covers such issues as a fair and public hearing before an
independent and impartial tribunal; legal aid; the right to be advised,
defended and represented; the right to an effective remedy; length of
proceedings; and other limitations on access to justice. It also examines
access to justice in selected areas: victims of crime; people with
disabilities; prisoners and pre-trial detainees; environmental law; and
e-justice.
The handbook is available in English and French. Other
language versions will follow.
The launch of the handbook takes place during the
first Fundamental Rights Forum, organised by FRA in Vienna. This four-day
high-level event brings policy makers, opinion leaders, and grassroots workers
together to debate new ways of addressing Europe’s fundamental rights
challenges.
For further information, please contact:
·
media@fra.europa.eu(link sends e-mail); Tel. +43 1 580 30 642. To
receive regular information about FRA’s work, please contact: info@fra.europa.eu(link sends e-mail).
·
echrpress@echr.coe.int(link sends e-mail); Tel. +33 3 90 21 42 08. To
receive the Court’s press releases, please subscribe here: www.echr.coe.int/RSS/en(link is external) or follow us on Twitter
@ECHRpress and @ECHRPublication.
Notes
to editors:
·
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) provides evidence-based
advice to the EU institutions and Member States, helping to ensure that the
fundamental rights of people living in the EU are protected.www.fra.europa.eu.
·
The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by
the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of
the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. Decisions, judgments and further
information about the Court can be found on www.echr.coe.int(link
is external).
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