European Institutions

ECJ Orders Poland to Stop Logging in Ancient Forest

August 14, 2017

The Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) has issued an interim decision regarding a complaint filed by the European Commission against Poland for violating EU wildlife protection laws by logging in the Białowieża Forest, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ordering Poland to cease logging activities in the forest immediately to prevent "serious and irreversible damage."
ECJ Rejects Canada-EU Passenger Data Sharing Deal

August 14, 2017

The Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) has held that an agreement between EU and Canadian authorities on the sharing of data on air passengers violates data privacy protections of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights because the shared information is too broad in scope and is not shielded from improper use by Canadian and other government officials.
FRA Expresses Concern on Migrant "Pushbacks," Returns

August 14, 2017

In its latest monthly report on migrant-related human rights issues, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has expressed concern regarding policies among EU member states on either pushing back unauthorized migrants attempting to enter their territory or returning migrants from their territory to countries the FRA deems "unstable."
ECtHR: Lawyer Communication Restriction Violated Rights

August 14, 2017

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has held that restrictions by the Netherlands on communications revealing classified information between a criminal defendant accused of leaking state secrets and the lawyer defending him hindered the lawyer from providing an effective defense, violating the defendant's right to give information to counsel.
ECtHR: Halving Disability Benefits Violated Property Rights

August 14, 2017

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has held that the Hungarian government violated a woman's right to her possessions by reducing her disability benefit by half as part of a national change in the methodology for the assessment of a disability, which the ECtHR asserted imposed an "excessive individual burden" on the woman.