Press Release: European Court of Human Rights – First decision on Court’s competence to give an advisory opinion

At a public hearing held 2 June 2004 in Strasbourg, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has delivered its decision concerning the first request to the Court for an advisory opinion under Article 47 [1] (advisory opinions) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Court concluded unanimously that the request for an advisory opinion, submitted by the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, did not come within the Court's advisory competence. The request concerned the co-existence of the Convention on Human Rights of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the European Convention on Human Rights.