<P> Prior to the entry into force on 1 June 2010 of Protocol No. 14 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the EU could not accede to the Convention, and the European Court of Human Rights did not have jurisdiction to rule on cases brought against the EU . However, the ECHR has been prepared to hold EU member states liable for human rights' violations committed within their jurisdictions, even when they were just complying with a mandatory provision of EU law . </P> <P> Protocol No. 14 of the ECHR entered into force on 1 June 2010 . It allows the European Union to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights . </P> <P> The EU's Treaty of Lisbon, in force since 1 December 2009, requires the EU to accede to the convention in Article 6 of the consolidated Treaty on European Union: "The Union shall accede to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms . Such accession shall not affect the Union's competences as defined in the Treaties ." The EU would thus be subject to its human rights law and external monitoring as its member states currently are . It is further proposed that the EU join as a member of the Council of Europe now it has attained a single legal personality in the Lisbon Treaty . </P> <P> On 5 April 2013, negotiators from the European Union and the Council of Europe finalised a draft agreement for the accession of the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights . As next steps, it is required that the European Court of Justice provides an opinion, subsequently that the EU member states provide unanimous support, that the European Parliament provides two - thirds majority support, and that the agreement is ratified by the parliaments of the Council of Europe's member states . </P>

European court of human rights european court of justice