This volume of the "Yearbook of the European Convention on Human Rights, prepared by the Directorate of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, relates to 2003. Part one contains information on the Convention. Part two deals with the control mechanism of the European Convention on Human Rights: selected judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and human rights (DH) resolutions of the Committee of Ministers; part three groups together the other work of the Council of Europe in the field of human rights, and includes the work of the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Directorate General of Human Rights; part four is devoted to information on national legislation and extracts from national judicial decisions concerning rights protected by the Convention. Appendix A contains a bibliography on the Convention, and Appendix B the biographies of the new judges elected to the European Court of Human Rights.

The model system created by the European Convention on Human Rights is internationally renowned. The rights it protects are among the most important, covering not only civil and political rights, but also certain social and economic rights, such as the right to respect for personal possessions. The European Court of Human Rights stands at the heart of the protection mechanism guaranteeing these rights. It is now an entirely judicial system since the adoption and entry into force of Protocol No. 11, which reorganised the whole system and extended the Court's jurisdiction. The Court's excessive caseload is a problem, though, and this has led to the further improvements contained in Protocol No. 14, designed to strengthen the operation and effectiveness of the Court.

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.

Prepared by government experts from all 46 member states of the Council of Europe, this publication seeks to help promote a better understanding of the relationship between human fights and environmental issues by setting out details of relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights and the principles upon which these judgements are based. These include: the right to life (Article 2), the right to respect for family life (Article 8), the right to a fair trial and access to a court (Article 6) and the right to receive and impart information and ideas (Article 10) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

PREMIERE PARTIE TEXTES FONDAMENTAUX ET INFORMATIONS DE CARACTERE GENERAL CHAPITRE I. TEXTES FONDAMENTAUX A. RATIFICATIO~S 3 B. RESERVES ET DECLARATIONS2 3 France 3 Suisse 7 C. DECLARATIONS D' ACCEPTATION DE LA COMPETENCE DE LA COMMIS SION EUROPEENNE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME E~ MATIERE DE RE- QUETES INDIVIDUELLES (Article 25 de la Convention) II Pays-Bas II Suisse II Royaume-Uni 13 D. DECLARATIONS D'ACCEPTATION DE LA JURIDICTION OBLIGATO IRE DE LA COUR EUROPEENNE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME (Article 46 de la Convention) 17 France 17 Islande 19 Pays-Bas 19 Suisse 19 Royaume-Uni 21 E. DEROGATIONS (Article 15 de la Convention) 25 Turquie 25 F. AMENDEME~TS AU REGLEMENT DE LA COUR EUROPEENNE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME 31 G. AMENDEMENTS AU REGLEMENT INTERIEUR DE LA COMMISSION EUROPEENNE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME 35 ANNEXES - Etat des ratifications, declarations et reserves au 31 decembre 1974 74 - Etat des depots des ratifications au 31 decembre 1974 76 VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER II. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS A. COMPOSITION B. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES C. PROCEEDINGS D. SECRETARIAT CHAPTER III. THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS A. COMPOSITION 94 B. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 94 C. SESSIONS AND HEARINGS 8 9 D. REGISTRY OF THE COURT 8 9 CHAPTER IV. PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS A. CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF EVENTS 102 B. WORK OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN RIGHTS 106 I. Consultative Assembly 106 2.