Human Rights

EU Drops Plans to Punish China over Hong Kong

April 21, 2021

The European Union had planned to announce new measures against Beijing’s electoral reforms in Hong Kong at this months Foreign Affairs Council, but have withdrawn the announcement after failing to gain support from all 27 member states.
Russia’s Sputnik Vaccine Causing Division in EU

April 21, 2021

As vaccine roll out in the EU continues to lag behind other countries, Russia’s offer to sell their Sputnik V vaccine and the question of whether of not to accept is causing divisions within the bloc and even, in some cases, within individual countries.
ECtHR Opens Itself up to Climate-Related Human Rights Cases

April 19, 2021

The European Court of Human Rights, which is responsible for interpreting the European Convention on Human Rights, has begun considering whether states have violated their citizens’ human rights by failing to do enough to cut emissions.
ECtHR backs Mandatory Pre-School Vaccination

April 14, 2021

For the first time first time, The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled on compulsory vaccination against childhood disease and has backed the Czech Republic in its requirement for mandatory pre-school vaccinations, finding that while the Czech policy interfered with the right to a private life, there was a need to protect public health.
The Istanbul Convention Ignites Europe’s Cultural Wars

April 12, 2021

Politico reports that after nearly ten years, the Istanbul Convention, which was intended to « protect women against all forms of violence » and was signed by the 45 Council of Europe member countries, is today causing division as Eastern and Western Europe enter a culture war concerning the definition of gender.
French President Macron Closes ENA

April 12, 2021

President Macron has announced the closure of the highly selective French National School of Administration (ENA), which has trained the country’s ruling class since 1945, in hope’s of reforming top civil servants’ recruitment and training.
French GDPR Ruling Addresses US Surveillance Powers

April 07, 2021

Addressing a recent claim that the vaccination program scheduling site held security risks for patient data, the Conseil d’État ruled that organizations can deploy legal and technical safeguards to meet their obligations under EU data protection law when seeking to prevent US authorities from accessing personal data stored with their outsourcing providers.
UK to Pilot COVID Certificates

April 07, 2021

As the U.K. heads towards reopening the economy, Britain will start piloting domestic COVID certificates this month, granting access to selected venues including sports stadiums and nightclubs, to those who have had the vaccine or natural immunity, but businesses, including pubs and restaurants, will not be required to ask customers to prove their COVID status due to concerns of discrimination.
Venice Commission Publishes 13 Opinions

March 29, 2021

The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission published 13 opinions that were adopted during its plenary session , which was held entirely online due to continued COVID-19 restriction.
EU to Propose Digital Green Pass for Travel

March 03, 2021

Politico reports that the European Commission will propose a new digital green pass to re-open travel that will include proof of the traveller's vaccination as well as the results of recent COVID-19 tests.