The European Court of Human Right is an international court set up in 1959 and based in Strasbourg. It rules on individual or international applications alleging violations of the civil and political rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights. If the Court finds that there has been a violation, it delivers a judgment binding upon that State. The Court consists of a number of judges equal to the number of Members States of the Council of Europe that have ratified the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (the current number of judges is 47). The Court’s judges sit in individual capacity and do not represent any State.
In addition, the expert cooperation, the relationship with the European Court of Human Rights encompasses the acceptance of the decisions of that supranational body by the national courts, the result of which is, inter alia, the establishment of a universal system of protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law through development of the relationships between the European Court and national constitutional courts. Within the framework of that system, which includes mutual tolerance, the national constitutional courts and other national courts and European Court set high standards in this regard. The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina contributes in this regard by rendering decisions of high standards, cooperating directly in the exchange of views and opinions on the most sensitive issues related to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and by participating in conferences and seminars.
Since May 2019, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a member of the Superior Courts Network which was created at the initiative and within the framework of the European Court of Human Rights. The aim of the network is to enrich dialogue and implementation of the European Convention. The more concrete operational objective is to create a practical and useful means of exchanging relevant information on Convention case-law and related matters.
