On 24 October 2025, the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, and the Registrar, Marialena Tsirli, participated in a conference titled Lessons from a remarkable career: Jean-Paul Costa, organised by the History Committee of the Conseil d’État and the administrative jurisdiction in Paris.

The President of the Court highlighted that Jean-Paul Costa’s life and work were shaped by the “three Cs”: conviction, coherence, and conviviality. His conviction was rooted in the belief that law must first and foremost serve human rights. His coherence—reflected in his professional path, his commitments, and his personal journey—spoke for itself. And his conviviality was expressed in his love for life and his ability to foster tolerance and exchange among people.

During the conference, the Court Registrar, Marialena Tsirli, also paid tribute to Jean-Paul Costa, noting that his career “left a lasting mark on our institution and contributed decisively to its development.” During her speech, she elaborated on the Interlaken Process, launched in 2010 in response to the Court’s challenge of managing a growing influx of applications, and highlighted the key role played by Jean-Paul Costa, who placed his exceptional diplomatic skill at the service of a reform rightly seen as essential. The package of reform measures implemented over the following decade enabled the Convention system to remain truly effective.

Jean-Paul Costa (1941–2023), an eminent member of the Conseil d’État, served as President of the Court from 19 January 2007 to 3 November 2011. Elected as judge in respect of France on 1 November 1998, he held several positions within the Court: Section Vice-President (1998–1999), Section President (2000–2007), and Vice-President of the Court (2001–2007), before assuming the presidency. Following his tenure at the Court, he served as President of the International Institute of Human Rights – René Cassin Foundation (2012–2021), and later became its Honorary President.