The Meijers Committee’s letter in anticipation of the political declaration of the Committee of Ministers on the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights
On the 10th of December, a ministerial conference will take place at the initiative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, intending to draw up a political declaration for the Committee’s meeting in Chișinău in May 2026. The objective: clarification of how the States Parties interpret the ECHR. This meeting has come about in the aftermath of the letter of nine; EU Member States of 22 May 2025 in which they expressed their criticisms of the ECtHR’s interpretation of the ECHR, particularly in the context of asylum and migration. In light of this context the Meijers Committee takes this opportunity to set out its concerns.
The Meijers Committee highlights that constructive dialogue with the Court is both legitimate and valuable but attempts to curtail its interpretative authority undermine the integrity of the Convention system, particularly where these arguments are based on factual misrepresentations. We further contend that the criticism levelled at the ECtHR focusses largely on its approach to migrants, notwithstanding that eroding the rights of one group of individuals will pave the way for excluding other vulnerable groups in society in the future, such as religious minorities and LGBTIQ+ individuals. In addition, preserving the Court’s independence is essential to maintaining trust, stability, and justice across Europe.
The Meijers Committee’s letter in anticipation of the political declaration of the Committee of Ministers on the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights
On the 10th of December, a ministerial conference will take place at the initiative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, intending to draw up a political declaration for the Committee’s meeting in Chișinău in May 2026. The objective: clarification of how the States Parties interpret the ECHR. This meeting has come about in the aftermath of the letter of nine; EU Member States of 22 May 2025 in which they expressed their criticisms of the ECtHR’s interpretation of the ECHR, particularly in the context of asylum and migration. In light of this context the Meijers Committee takes this opportunity to set out its concerns.
The Meijers Committee highlights that constructive dialogue with the Court is both legitimate and valuable but attempts to curtail its interpretative authority undermine the integrity of the Convention system, particularly where these arguments are based on factual misrepresentations. We further contend that the criticism levelled at the ECtHR focusses largely on its approach to migrants, notwithstanding that eroding the rights of one group of individuals will pave the way for excluding other vulnerable groups in society in the future, such as religious minorities and LGBTIQ+ individuals. In addition, preserving the Court’s independence is essential to maintaining trust, stability, and justice across Europe.
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8 December 2025