Overview

• Nine EU countries, led by Italy and Denmark, requested a review of the European Convention on Human Rights to loosen restrictions on migrant expulsions.
• The Council of Europe firmly opposed the proposal, emphasizing the need to preserve the Convention's strength and the court's independence.
• Alain Berset, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, cautioned against politicizing the European Court of Human Rights, calling its impartiality a 'bedrock' of stability.
• The European Court of Human Rights has faced criticism from some governments for rulings, including emergency injunctions that blocked deportations.
• The Council of Europe underscored the ECHR's critical role as Europe's only international human rights court following Russia's expulsion in 2022.