Citizens’ Rights in the European Union and the European Convention of Human Rights
Course outline
The primary aim of the course is to give an introduction on protection afforded by the EU and the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to political participatory rights, understood in the wider sense. The course will discuss the right to vote as the rights allowing the indirect exercise of public power and the rights to citizen initiative, plebiscite and petition as being the direct means of exercising power. The course will map out the content, scope and criteria for limitation of such rights as guaranteed by the Court of Justice of the European Union and the Council of Europe. In relation to the right to petition, the course will make reference to the right to complaint, public access to documents and information of general interest. The course will also take into consideration the mechanism of the EU and the Council of Europe facilitating the exercise of political participatory rights and the monitoring process ie. election monitoring.
Competences
The primary objective of the course is to provide a clear picture on the similarities and differences on the protection afforded by the EU and the ECHR respectively, to find the connection between the European and national law and to determine the place and role of political participatory rights in ensuring the democratic functioning of state.
COMPLUSORY READING
- Jacobs and White, The European Convention on Human Rights 5th edn (OUP, 2010) ISBN-10: 0199543380
- Harris, O'Boyle and Warbrick, Law of the European Convention on Human Rights 2nd edn (OUP, 2009) ISBN-10: 0406905940
- Craig, P. and de Burca, G. EU Law, OUP, 2011, 5th edition, ISBN-10: 0199576998, Chapter 11
RECOMMENDED READINGS
- Bellamy, R. and Warleigh, A. (eds.) Citizenship and Governance in the European Union, Continuum2005, ISBN 0-8264-5347-3