The end of the year is approaching. 2011 was a very eventful year for the European Court of Human Rights. Apart from issuing important case-law, it has also come under intense criticism in some state parties and new reforms to increase its efficiency are again on the table. On a positive note, the backlog in the workload seems in the last few months, according to insiders, for the first time to be slightly decreasing. Let us hope that trend will continue in the new year so that finally the waiting times for applicants will start to decrease in stead of increase. More importantly even, let’s also hope that state parties will finally take their part of the subsidiarity principle more seriously, by more effectively protecting human rights close to home, at the national level.
This blog has meanwhile continued to grow, due especially to the support of many readers who provide me with ECHR-related news, events and academic articles. This year, the blog reached over 150,000 pageviews from 178 countries! Please continue to send me your information, views and suggestions for guest posts on case-law – this blog is in many ways, like the Convention, a living instrument! Many thanks to all.
I will be back with new posts in January. I wish all the readers of this blog happy holidays. May 2012 be a healthy and good year for all of you!
