We are pleased to announce the publication of “a major, timely and welcome contribution to the literature on European human rights law”, co-authored by Rose Slowe, a pupil at Foundry Chambers:

1. Greer, J. Gerards, and R. Slowe, Human Rights in the Council of Europe and the European Union: Achievements, Trends and Challenges (Cambridge University Press, 2018).

Confusion about the differences between the Council of Europe (the parent body of the European Court of Human Rights) and the European Union is commonplace amongst the general public. It even affects some lawyers, jurists, social scientists and students. This book will enable the reader to distinguish clearly between those human rights norms which originate in the Council of Europe and those which derive from the EU. It describes, compares and contrasts relevant institutions, procedures and policies of the two organisations. Further, it explains and summarises the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and fundamental rights case law of the European Court of Justice. The authors conclude that the main achievements of the relevant institutions include securing minimum standards across the continent as they deal with increasing expansion, complexity and multidimensionality of their human rights activities. They also identify the central challenges encountered, particularly for the UK in the post-Brexit era where the components of each system need to be carefully distinguished and disentangled.

Steven Greer is Professor of Human Rights at the University of Bristol Law School.

Janneke Gerards is Professor of Fundamental Rights Law at Utrecht University, the Netherlands.

Rose Slowe is a barrister of the Middle Temple and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol Law School.

Reviews & endorsements

“The authors present a thought-provoking analysis of the current state of Europe's system of human rights protection and the challenges facing it. Its originality lies in the fact that it compares in a single book the various human rights standards and mechanisms emanating from the Council of Europe and the European Union.” Jörg Polakiewicz, Legal Adviser, Council of Europe

“This excellent and important book describes human rights protection in Europe. Crucially, however, it also explains and compares the achievements of the Council of Europe and the EU in the human rights field - this makes it almost unique in its scope. In this way, it will prove an essential guide to the complexities of European human rights law - invaluable to practitioners, scholars and students.” Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, Anniversary Chair in Law, Queen Mary University of London

“This monograph, one of the first comprehensive book-length studies of Europe's two principal human rights systems, is a valuable resource for those interested in the broader picture of human rights in Europe. The comparative analysis in the concluding chapter on the institutionalisation of human rights by these two systems, on the achievements and challenges facing each, and on the nature of the relationship between the two, is particularly interesting.” Gráinne de Búrca, Florence Ellinwood Allen Professor of Law, New York University Law School