European Commission of Human Rights

The European Commission of Human Rights was an enforcement mechanism established by the Council of Europe in 1954. It worked alongside the European Court of Human Rights to oversee the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights. This convention, adopted in 1950, aims to protect fundamental freedoms and human rights across Europe.

In 1998, Protocol No. 11 streamlined the European human rights system by merging the Commission and the Court into a single, reconstituted court. This new structure empowered the court to hear individual petitions without prior government approval, making the process more direct for individuals seeking redress for human rights violations. The court's decisions are binding on all signatory states.