Monitoring of ECtHR Case Law in Scandinavian Ministries and Administrative Appeal Boards

Public defence of PhD thesis by Thorbjørn Waal Lundsgaard.

 

Among Scandinavian states, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, ministries and state agencies have important roles. fulfilling the state's duty to protect Human rights. This PhD thesis examines whether, and to what extent, these state institutions monitor evolving ECtHR case law, in the pursuit of this endeavour. With regards to monitoring, the primary objective of ministries is to adjust existing laws and ensure new laws live up to international commitments under the ECHR.

The thesis critically examines how these jurisdictions monitor ECtHR judgments. particularly those not directly involving the state, but which may nonetheless necessitate adjustments to domestic legal practices. This research integrates policy analysis, research, and interviews with state agencies. reveals a systemic deficiency within Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish state institutions in monitoring the ECtHR's evolving standards. There is a gap with the risk of significant legal, economic and societal-wide implications.

 

 

Blandt de skandinaviske stater Danmark. Norge og Sverige har ministerier og statslige myndigheder en vigtig rolle i opfyldelsen af staternes pligt til at beskytte menneskerettighederne. Denne ph.d.-afhandling undersøger om og i hvilket omfang, disse statslige institutioner monitorerer den Europæiske Menneskerettighedsdomstols (EMD's) retspraksis i bestræbelserne herpå. Når det gælder monitorering, er ministeriernes primære opgave at tilpasse gældende lovgivning samt praksis og sikre, at ny lovgivning lever op til forpligtelserne efter EMRK.

Afhandlingen foretager en kritisk analyse af, hvordan disse lande følger EMD's domme. særligt domme hvor staten ikke selv er part, men som ikke desto mindre kan nødvendiggøre justeringer af den nationale praksis. Undersøgelsen. der integrerer rutiner i ministerier. styrelser og nævn, forskning og interviews, peger på en systemisk mangel i norske, danske og svenske statslige institutioner, når det gælder monitoreringen af EMD's udviklende standarder, en mangel med risiko for betydelige retlige, økonomiske og samfundsmæssige konsekvenser.

 

Assessment committee

  • Professor Joanna Lam, University of Copenhagen, Denmark (chair)
  • Associate Professor Matthew William Saul, University of Oslo, Norway
  • Research Professor Gaëtan Cliquennois, Nantes Université, France

Supervisor

  • Associate Professor Shai Dothan, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

A copy of the thesis can be ordered from phd-forsvar@jur.ku.dk

The defence will be held in English.