Brussels, 17/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 17 March, the European Commission adopted negotiation directives for the European Union's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). “Accession to the ECHR has political, legal and symbolic importance,” said Commission President José Manuel Barroso, going on, “The EU's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights will provide a coherent system of fundamental rights protection throughout the continent. It will complete the level of protection introduced by the Lisbon Treaty through the legally binding Charter of Fundamental Rights”. The Lisbon Treaty requires the EU to accede to the ECHR, the most important instrument for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Accession will bring in an additional judicial control in the protection of fundamental rights in the EU. It will give the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg competence to review acts of the EU institutions, bodies and agencies, including rulings by the European Court of Justice, to ensure observance of the European Convention on Human Rights. It will also provide new possible remedies for individuals, who, after they have exhausted domestic remedies, will be able to bring complaints about infringement of fundamental rights by the EU to the European Court of Human Rights. Accession will also allow the EU to have a judge appointed to the Court in Strasbourg. A number of countries are concerned about the effect of the ECHR might have on the EU's primary legislation. The Commission, however, does not believe that it will change the EU's judicial order, given that the chances of primary law being contrary to the ECHR are extremely low. The Court of Justice in Luxembourg will be in a similar situation vis-à-vis the Strasbourg Court to that of member states' constitutional or supreme courts, the Commission says. The way towards the EU's becoming the 48th contracting party to the ECHR will certainly be long. The accession agreement will have to be passed unanimously by the Council and will also have to be approved by all 47 contracting parties to the ECHR, in line with their respective constitutional arrangements. The Council will also have to obtain the approval of the European Parliament. The Commission hopes that negotiations can begin after summer. (B.C./transl.rt)