A.T. v Luxembourg: the start of the EU-ECHR story on criminal defence rights

On 9 April 2015, the European Court of Human Rights (‘ECtHR’) gave judgment in A.T. v Luxembourg. The judgment, which will become final unless referred to the Grand Chamber, in finding a violation of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), develops the principles established in the Salduz v Turkey. At the invitation of Fair Trials International, third party intervener, it also takes into account, for the first time, Directive 2013/48/EU on access to a lawyer in criminal proceedings (the ‘Access to a Lawyer Directive’), a possible indicator of future convergence in this area.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Fair trials: MEPs strengthen EU-wide standards for legal aid http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-fair-trials-meps-strengthen-eu-wide-standards-for-legal-aid/

ESO: Background information: Commission proposal to guarantee citizens’ rights to access a lawyer to become law http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-commission-proposal-to-guarantee-citizens-rights-to-access-a-lawyer-to-become-law/

---