EGMR

In German-language contexts, EGMR stands for Europäischer Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte, the European Court of Human Rights. The court is an international judicial body established by the European Convention on Human Rights and seated in Strasbourg, France. It interprets the rights guaranteed by the Convention and rules on cases brought against member states of the Council of Europe.

Jurisdiction and access: The Court hears complaints alleging violations of the rights set out in the Convention. Individuals, non-governmental organizations, and groups may submit applications after all domestic remedies have been exhausted. Interstate applications between member states are also possible under certain circumstances. The Court's judgments are binding on states, which may be required to provide remedies, compensate victims, or undertake reforms.

Structure and procedure: Each member state nominates one judge, serving a non-renewable term of nine years. The Court’s casework is organized into panels: cases are typically decided by a Chamber of three judges, with the possibility of a Grand Chamber consisting of seventeen judges for important questions, or a larger panel for complex matters. Applications undergo admissibility and merits consideration, with common criteria including exhaustion of domestic remedies and timely submission (usually six months from the last domestic decision).

Impact and criticism: The Court has issued thousands of judgments addressing issues such as freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and prohibition of torture. Enforcement of judgments is overseen by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The system has faced backlogs and calls for procedural reform, budgetary constraints, and measures to improve efficiency while preserving effective protection of rights.

See also: European Convention on Human Rights; Council of Europe; ECtHR.