Human Rights as Indivisible Rights (International Studies in Human Rights)

363 Pages·2009·4.26 MB·English

by  Koch

Human Rights as Indivisible Rights
International Studies in Human Rights
Volume 101
Human Rights as Indivisible Rights
Th e Protection of Socio-Economic Demands under
the European Convention on Human Rights
By
Ida Elisabeth Koch
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2009
Th is book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Koch, Ida Elisabeth.
Human rights as indivisible rights : the protection of socio-economic demands under the
European Convention on Human Rights / by Ida Elisabeth Koch.
p. cm. -- (International studies in human rights ; v. 101)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-90-04-16051-4 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Human rights--Europe. 2. Social rights--
Europe. 3. European Court of Human Rights. I. Title.
KJC5132.K63 2009
341.4’8094--dc22
2009029669
ISSN 0924-4751
ISBN 978 90 04 16051 4
Copyright 2009 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, Th e Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing,
IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a
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Fees are subject to change.
printed in the netherlands
Contents
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. xi
Abbreviations ....................................................................................................... xiii
Chapter 1. Background to and Purpose of the Study .................................... 1
1 Introduction ................................................................................ 1
2 Th e Classical Perception of Civil-Political Rights
and Socio-Economic Rights .................................................. 5
3 Indivisibility as Protection of Socio-Economic
Demands Under the ECHR .................................................. 9
Chapter 2. Typological and Terminological Considerations ........................ 13
1 Introductory Remarks ................................................................ 13
2 Trichotomies or Waves of Duties? ............................................ 14
2.1 Th e Tripartite Typology ...................................................... 14
2.2 Critical Considerations on the Tripartite Typology ....... 17
2.3 Th e Applicability of the Tripartite Typology to All
Human Rights ................................................................. 20
2.4 Th e Terminology of the ECtHR ........................................ 21
2.5 Successive Waves of Duties? .............................................. 25
Chapter 3. Considerations on Intertextuality and Permeability .................. 29
1 Introductory Remarks ................................................................ 29
2 Th e Intertextuality of the Two Sets of Rights .......................... 30
3 Th e Permeability of Human Rights Norms ............................. 32
4 A Possible Th eory for Understanding the Notion of
Indivisibility and the Integrated Approach ......................... 37
Chapter 4. Th eoretical and Methodological Considerations ........................ 39
1 Initial Remarks ............................................................................ 39
2 Th e Hermeneutic Circle ............................................................. 41
3 About Pre-Understanding ......................................................... 45
4 Th e Horizontal Structure of the Hermeneutic Circle ............ 51
5 Th e Vertical Structure of the Hermeneutic Circle .................. 53
vi Contents
6 Th e Added Value of Hermeneutics ......................................... 56
7 Methodological Considerations .............................................. 57
Chapter 5. Th e Right to Health Under the ECHR ........................................ 59
1 Health as a Cross-Cutting Issue ............................................... 59
2 Th e Right to Health Under the ECHR .................................... 60
2.1 Relevant Provisions ............................................................ 60
2.2 A General ‘Positive Right’ to Treatment and Care ......... 61
2.3 Environmental Health – Striking a Fair Balance ........... 66
2.4 Deprivation of Liberty for Purposes of
Treatment – Rights and Duties .................................... 74
2.4.1 A Right to Compulsory Treatment? ...................... 74
2.4.2 Th e Choice Between Article 5 (1)(a)
and Article 5 (1)(e) .............................................. 83
2.4.3 Forward-Looking Observations on Deprivation
of Liberty for Purposes of Treatment ................ 87
2.5 Health Conditions in Prisons ........................................... 90
2.5.1 General Prison Conditions ..................................... 90
2.5.2 Prisoners with Special Needs ................................. 94
2.6 Protection of Neglected Children .................................... 102
2.7 Information, Professional Secrecy and Freedom
of Expression in Health Issues ...................................... 107
3 Future Prospects ........................................................................ 111
Chapter 6. Th e Right to Housing Under the ECHR ..................................... 113
1 Housing as a Cross Cutting Issue ............................................ 113
2 Th e Relevant Provisions ............................................................ 114
3 A State Obligation to Provide for (lawful) Housing? ............ 115
4 Th e Right to Housing and the Principle of
Non-Discrimination ............................................................. 125
5 Protection of Housing Rights by Means of
Restriction of Other’s Rights ................................................ 127
5.1 Initial Remarks ................................................................... 127
5.2 Case Law Under Article 8 and Article 1 of
Protocol No. 1 ................................................................. 129
5.3 Margin of Appreciation – Article 8 and Article 1 of
Protocol No. 1 ................................................................. 137
5.4 Th e Character of the Derivative Protection Under
Article 8 and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 .................... 138
6 Demolition of Homes ................................................................ 139
7 Eviction and Illegal Occupation of Homes ............................ 142
7.1 Examples from Cyprus ...................................................... 142
7.2 Examples from Croatia ...................................................... 145
Contents vii
7.3 Margin of Appreciation – Article 8 and Article 1 of
Protocol No. 1 ................................................................. 146
8 Future Prospects ........................................................................ 147
Chapter 7. Th e Right to Education Under the ECHR .................................. 149
1 Education as a Cross-Cutting Issue ......................................... 149
2 Th e Right to Education in Th ree Generations ....................... 150
3 Th e Right to Education Under the ECHR .............................. 151
3.1 Relevant Provisions ............................................................ 151
3.2 Positive Rights to Primary Education Under
Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 ............................................ 153
3.2.1 Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 and Other
Provisions on the Right to Education ............... 153
3.2.2 Th e Travaux Préparatoire to Article 2 of
Protocol No. 1 ...................................................... 155
3.2.3 Case Law Under Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 ......... 158
3.2.4 Compulsory Education Free of Charge ................. 171
3.2.5 Case Law Under Article 5 (1) (e) – Rights and
Duties ..................................................................... 174
4 Future Prospects ......................................................................... 177
Chapter 8. Th e Right to Social Cash Benefi ts Under the ECHR .................. 179
1 Th e Right to Social Cash Benefi ts as a
Cross-Cutting Issue ................................................................ 179
2 Th e Relevant Provisions ............................................................. 180
3 A Minimum Core Right to Social Cash Benefi ts? .................. 181
4 Social Cash Benefi ts as Rights Protected
Under Article 6 ....................................................................... 183
5 Social Cash Benefi ts Under Article 8 ....................................... 188
6 Social Cash Benefi ts as Property Rights .................................. 190
6.1 Initial Remarks .................................................................... 190
6.2 Social Cash Benefi ts and the Issue of
Discrimination ................................................................ 192
6.3 Social Cash Benefi ts as Property Rights – Further
Refl ections ........................................................................ 203
7 Future Prospects ......................................................................... 206
Chapter 9. Work-Related Rights Under the ECHR ....................................... 209
1 Work-Related Rights as Cross-Cutting Issues ........................ 209
2 Th e Relevant Provisions ............................................................. 210
3 Access to Work? .......................................................................... 211
4 Protection Against Dismissal .................................................... 216
4.1 Initial Remarks .................................................................... 216
viii Contents
4.2 Homosexuality and the Right to Work .......................... 217
4.3 Freedom of Speech, Association, Religion and the
Right to Work ................................................................ 219
5 Th e Rights of the Self-Employed ............................................ 222
6 Claims for Salary ...................................................................... 225
7 Occupational Issues and the Application of Article 6 ......... 226
8 ‘Negative’ Freedom of Association and the Right to
Work ...................................................................................... 233
9 A Right to Collective Bargaining Under the ECHR? ........... 241
10 A Right to Collective Action Under the ECHR? .................. 246
11 Other Issues Relating to Freedom of Association ................ 249
12 Future Prospects ....................................................................... 253
Chapter 10. Socio-Economic Demands as Justiciable Rights –
Th e Issue of Power Balance ..................................................... 255
1 Initial Remarks .......................................................................... 255
2 Division of (democratic) Powers at the Domestic Level ..... 257
2.1 Initial Remarks .................................................................. 257
2.2 Judicial Review of the Application of Legal
Provisions Worded Precisely and as
Individual Rights .......................................................... 258
2.3 J udicial Review of the Application of Vague Legal
Standards........................................................................ 259
2.4 Judicial Review of the Human Rights Compliance
of Statutory Provisions ................................................. 265
2.4.1 Initial Remarks ........................................................ 265
2.4.2 A Representative Basis for Judicial Review ......... 265
2.4.3 Institutional Dialogue as Legitimising Judicial
Review .................................................................. 268
2.4.4 Democracy and Human Rights – A Substantial
Concept of Democracy ...................................... 270
3 Th e ECHR as the Custodian of Substantial Democracy ..... 274
4 Justiciable Socio-Economic Elements of Human Rights .... 280
4.1 Introductory Remarks ...................................................... 280
4.2 From ‘Rechtsstaat’ Paradigm to Welfare State
Paradigm ........................................................................ 281
4.3 Identifi cation of Possible Justiciable Socio-Economic
Elements ........................................................................ 282
Chapter 11. Th e Relation between the ECHR and the ESC/RESC .............. 291
1 Initial Remarks .......................................................................... 291
2 Th e ECSR’s Style of Interpretation .......................................... 292
Contents ix
3 Overlapping Protection between the ECHR and the
ESC/RESC ............................................................................. 300
3.1 Introductory Remarks ...................................................... 300
3.2 Work-Related Rights ......................................................... 301
3.3 Th e Right to Education ..................................................... 304
4 Civil-Political Dominance in Socio-Economic Rights ........ 307
4.1 Initial Remarks .................................................................. 307
4.2 Corporal Punishment of Children .................................. 308
4.3 Conscientious Objectors and Forced Labour ................ 312
5 Closing Remarks ....................................................................... 315
Chapter 12. Concluding Forward-looking Observations ............................. 317
1 Initial Remarks .......................................................................... 317
2 Returning to the Issue about the Added Value
of Hermeneutics ................................................................... 318
3 A Protocol to the ECHR Concerning Socio-Economic
Rights – Historical Remarks ............................................... 321
4 Considerations on a Protocol to the ECHR about
Socio-Economic Rights ....................................................... 324
5 Final Remarks ........................................................................... 326
European Court of Human Rights: List of
Judgments ........................................................................................................ 327
European Court of Human Rights: List of
Admissibility Decisions .................................................................................. 335
Th e European Committee on Social Rights: List of Decisions ...................... 337
Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 339
Index ..................................................................................................................... 345