On 7 October, the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, delivered introductory remarks and engaged with students at the Institut National du Service Public (INSP) in Strasbourg, during a conference dedicated to human rights.

In his remarks, the Court President spoke about the Council of Europe—with the Court as its judicial arm—and the European Union as two complementary projects aimed at guaranteeing peace and justice in Europe. He also highlighted the Convention’s continued relevance and the role of the Court in upholding and developing human rights, in line with the “living instrument” approach. He emphasised the importance of subsidiarity, noting that national courts bear the primary responsibility for securing the rights and freedoms defined in the Convention.

During the Q&A session, the Court President replied to students’ questions about the organisation and staffing of the Court, the role of national judges, the life cycle of an application, and the EU’s accession to the Convention.