Applying to the European Court of Human Rights

Members of Parliament are often asked how constituents can take a case to the European Court of Human Rights. This Commons Library briefing summarises the main features of the process, and emphasises recent changes to it.

There is lots of information for applicants and lawyers on the Court’s website. This note summarises the main features of the process such as the need to exhaust all domestic remedies first, and emphasises recent changes such as the new requirement that the applicant has suffered ‘significant disadvantage’.

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