The Council of Europe today celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Administrative Tribunal with a public conference on “The Right to a fair trial before international administrative tribunals”, held at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg.
 
The conference was opened by Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Paul Lemmens, Chair of the Council of Europe Administrative Tribunal (ATCE), and Mattias Guyomar, President of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Three panels explored key issues shaping international administrative justice today:

• Access to a court with respect to acts and omissions of international organisations, with a keynote by Judge Mykola Gnatovskyy (ECHR);
• Scope and method of judicial review, with Professor Paola Chirulli (Sapienza University, Rome);
• Reparation measures and enforcement of judgments, with Judge Patrick Frydman (Vice-President and former President of the ILO Administrative Tribunal).

Closing remarks were delivered by Linos-Alexandre Sicilianos, Deputy Chair of the ATCE.
 
The event underscored the Tribunal’s contribution to ensuring judicial protection for the Council of Europe’s staff members and upholding the rule of law within the Organisation.

“The rule of law begins with us, within our own institutions,” said Secretary General Alain Berset. “Sixty years on, the Administrative Tribunal of the Council of Europe is a standard for accountability. At a time when justice and democracy are under pressure across our continent, it reminds us that the credibility of our actions and of the multilateral system itself depends on how we hold ourselves to account.”

“Courts must inspire confidence in the public. Conversely, as the European Court emphasises, they must also enjoy public confidence if they are to be successful in carrying out their duties. Such public confidence is not possible without respect for the parties’ right to a fair trial. And let us not forget that in this area, 'justice must not only be done, but also be seen to be done'.”, said Paul Lemmens, Chair of the Administrative Tribunal.