European Court of Human Rights vs European Court of Justice

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the European Court of Justice (ECJ) are two separate courts that serve different purposes within the European legal system.

The ECtHR is a supranational court established by the Council of Europe to hear cases related to alleged violations of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). It has jurisdiction over all member states of the Council of Europe and its decisions are binding on these countries. The ECtHR hears cases brought by individuals, non-governmental organisations, and member states, and its rulings are intended to protect the human rights of individuals, such as the right to a fair trial, freedom of expression, and the prohibition of torture.

The ECJ is the highest court of the European Union (EU) and is responsible for interpreting EU law and ensuring its uniform application across all member states. It has jurisdiction over all EU member states and hears cases brought by individuals, companies, and member states. The ECJ's rulings are intended to ensure that EU law is applied consistently across the EU and to resolve disputes between EU institutions and member states.

While the ECtHR and ECJ have different functions, they do work together to ensure that the human rights of individuals are protected within the EU legal system. The ECJ takes into account the ECHR and the case law of the ECtHR when interpreting EU law, and the ECtHR may take into account the interpretation of EU law by the ECJ when making its rulings.

In short, the ECtHR and ECJ play important roles in upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of individuals within the European legal system.
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