The Framework for Fundamental Rights Protection in Europe under the Prospect of EU Accession to ECHR

Abstract

Issues of human rights have always been crucial in the continent of Europe. The institutionalization of fundamental rights for European citizens remained a matter of much discussion among legal scholars for decades. With the amendment of the Lisbon Treaty, major changes were forwarded within the Union regarding that matter; one of those is the accession of the Union to ECHR. The purpose of this paper is to discuss major institutional aspects of this accession and propose solutions, after addressing certain difficulties on one hand and on the other, to draw the new picture of judicial protection of fundamental rights in Europe.