15 Apr Measures of the European Court of Human Rights during the COVID-19 pandemic

The European Court of Human Rights has taken a series of exceptional measures in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

In accordance with the lockdown measures adopted by the host country, and while facilitating teleworking and electronic communication, the Court has maintained its core activities (in particular the handling of priority cases) and has continued to receive applications and allocate them to the relevant judicial formations. During this period, only individuals – judges and members of the Registry – whose physical presence is essential have been allowed to access the Human Rights Building, on a voluntary basis and while complying strictly with the health precautions prescribed by the authorities

Primarily, the six-month deadline for lodging applications and all time limits relating to pending cases have been extended by one month, as of 16 March.

On 09 April, the Court announced that exceptional measures taken by the Court in the context of the global health crisis will be extended:

• The six-month time-limit for the lodging of an application, under Article 35 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which had been exceptionally extended for a one-month period from 16 March 2020, is now extended for a further two-month period from 16 April 2020 to 15 June 2020 inclusive.
• The time-limits which had been allotted in pending proceedings, extended for a one-month period from 16 March 2020, are now extended for a further two-month period from 16 April 2020; however, this does not apply to the three-month period under Article 43 of the Convention for the filing by parties of a request for referral to the Grand Chamber

References from the website of the European Court of Human Rights