European Commission to continue calling on Turkey to implement ECHR decisions

The European Commission will continue to call on Turkey to fully and speedily implement all European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgements, the Commission said in a letter, expressing its serious concern for the country’s continued refusal to implement certain ECHR judgments.

The Commission’s references are included in a letter sent to Professor Andreas Orphanides, a Greek Cypriot refugee with property in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, who, in a letter on the 24th of July 2023, “sought the support of the President of the European Commission in enforcing the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) by Türkiye, thereby putting an end to the violations of the European Convention on Human Rights” according to the Commission.

Replying on behalf of the EC President, Bernard Brunet, Head of Unit at the DG For Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, notes that as Council of Europe Member State, “Türkiye is obliged to adhere to the ECtHR decisions and that it is legally bound to comply with the Court’s rulings and take necessary steps to address human rights violations or provide suitable recourse for victims”.

Noting that the European Commission doesn’t hold any authority or competence concerning the implementation and enforcement of ECtHR decisions, but the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is tasked with overseeing the execution of ECtHR judgments, the Commission will continue “to call on Türkiye to fully and speedily implement all ECtHR judgements”.

“Türkiye”, he adds, remains a key partner for the European Union and a candidate country with 16 chapters opened and one provisionally closed, while “accession negotiations with Türkiye remain at a standstill, in line with the Council Conclusions of June 2018, reiterated by the December 2022 Council Conclusions”.

“The country continued to move away from the European Union and did not reverse the negative trend in relation to accession related reforms, despite its repeated commitment to an EU path”.

At the same time, he adds, “the EU has a strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the development of a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with Türkiye”.

He notes that to that effect, the European Council in June 2023 invited the High Representative and the Commission to submit a report to the European Council on the state of play of “EU-Türkiye relations, building on the instruments and options identified by the European Council, and with a view to proceeding in a strategic and forward-looking manner”.

Furthermore, he notes that the EC has systematically highlighted “Türkiye”s continued refusal to implement certain ECtHR judgments and that  for the Commission, this is as a source of serious concern regarding the judiciary’s adherence to international and European standards, as well as Türkiye’s commitment to promoting the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights”.

“Rest assured that we will continue to call on Türkiye to fully and speedily implement all ECtHR judgements” the letter concludes.