Strasbourg Law Study Trip

Posted on: 5 August 2024 by Denisa Racaceanu in Blog

In June 2024, along with 20 fellow second- and third-year students from Liverpool Law School, I embarked on an unforgettable journey to Strasbourg, France. Known as a central hub for European governance, Strasbourg is home to major institutions like the EU Parliament, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Our trip offered us the unique privilege of exploring these key organisations up close.

Over the course of five days, we delved into the city’s rich history, formed lasting friendships, and explored the very organisations we had studied about at university. It was an experience that not only broadened our understanding but also brought the workings of European institutions to life.

Day 1 – EU Parliament, Council of Europe (Agora Building) and Palais de l’Europe

On day one, we had an early start and headed to the European Parliament for an informative tour of the building, followed by a short film about its history. The building’s architecture was breathtaking, and sitting in the plenary chamber where the representatives of the citizens of the European Union vote on different proposals and legislation was surreal.

After the tour, we headed to the Agora Building, where the headquarters and offices of the Council of Europe are located. Here, we were delighted to meet with Lee Hibbard, a member of the secretariat of the Steering Committee for Human Rights in the Fields of Biomedicine and Health (CD-BIO). The talk involved an in-depth presentation of the Committee’s functions and current projects, with a particular emphasis on new research into the use of AI. The discussion was informative, interesting, and relevant to modern-day concerns, particularly how technology will impact us going forward according to CD-BIO’s research.

Shortly after, our second meeting in the Agora Building was with Sergey Dikman from the Council of Europe Secretariat. Sergey gave a brief introduction to his role within the Council and its work in implementing the ECHR through technical cooperation. The discussion then led us to the topic of the abolition of the death penalty as a requirement for the member states of the Council of Europe. This concluded with a productive Q&A session where many of my peers asked questions related to the discussed topics. But the day wasn’t over yet!

After lunch, we headed to the Palais de l’Europe for a meeting with David Milner, Head of Human Rights Intergovernmental Co-operation Division. This meeting led us to discuss the recent unprecedented cases before the ECHR concerning climate change: KlimaSeniorinnen, Carême and Duarte Agostinho. The judgments in these cases represent the Court’s first substantive assessment of the interplay between the ECHR and climate change, which David and his team are working on. Following this, we may potentially see changes in climate change and human rights law in the future.

Our last meeting of the day was with Matthieu Birker, Adviser for the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights. The current Commissioner is Michael O’Flaherty, elected by the Parliamentary Assembly in January 2024. Matthieu, as his Adviser, helps the Commissioner with his mandate, which is laid out in Resolution (99) 50, often travelling to member states to observe and encourage reform, particularly in the promotion and protection of human rights.

Day 2 – Walking Tour, PACE Meetings and Flam’s Restaurant

We started the day bright and early with a three-hour walking tour of Strasbourg! We first explored the Notre Dame Cathedral, where we met our very knowledgeable guide, Gabriel. We then proceeded to walk towards Republic Square and finally headed to the canals facing the Rhine River, an area called La Petite France. The tour was insightful, allowing us to learn more about Alsatian culture, take pictures, and admire the picturesque city of Strasbourg.

After lunch, we went to the Palais de l’Europe for a second time to meet with Louise Barton, Director of Committees in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). PACE has nine committees, one example being the Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons Committee. Louise talked about her career progression and her role within PACE, as well as the topic of Russia’s expulsion from the Council. Complex but nonetheless crucial topics were discussed surrounding the role of international law, which allowed us to draw links between what we have studied and how it is applied in practice.

Our second speaker was Gunter Schirmer, also from PACE. This was an engaging meeting as Gunter took a more colloquial approach when telling us about his experience within the Council, expanding on issues such as bribery and coercion. Russia’s expulsion was once again addressed, as was the conflict with Azerbaijan when PACE resolved not to ratify the credentials of the member state’s parliamentary delegation. Once again, these were imminent topics of discussion, and it was an honour to hear first-hand insights from civil servants in the field.

The day concluded with dinner at Flam’s Restaurant, where students and lecturers on the trip enjoyed one of Strasbourg’s famous dishes: Flammekueche/Tarte Flambé. This is a pizza-like dough that’s rolled out very thinly with various toppings. We were all grateful for the meal and the chance to sit together and continue the discussions from the day.

Day 3 – European Court of Human Rights, UK Ambassador’s Residence and Batorama Boat Tour

Third and last full day! It went by so quickly, but we were all enthusiastic because we visited the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). We were shown a short film presenting the Court before our meeting with Judge Darian Pavli, elected in respect of Albania. There are 46 judges sitting within the ECHR, elected from each of the member states in the Council of Europe. Judge Pavli explained how the judges sit within sections which change when a judge has served their non-renewable nine-year term. He also expanded on how cases must be heard within a member state court before coming to the ECHR. It was amazing hearing from an ECHR judge after learning and researching human rights law cases, and sitting within the Grand Chamber felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We then met Josipa Kovacevic and Grigory Dikov, lawyers of the Registry, who told us about their experiences on the job, more specifically how cases are selected through a rigorous process to appear before the Court. We were then informed about the traineeship programmes that the ECHR offers, and I would highly encourage students interested in human rights law to look into these!

For lunch, we were kindly hosted by Sandy Moss, UK Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, at his residence in Strasbourg. He was accompanied by Vinay Talwar (UK Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti), and together they talked us through their experience, the role of ambassador, and gave us career advice for anyone interested in pursuing a similar path. Sandy’s role as Ambassador is to represent the UK within the Council of Europe, engaging with other member states and advocating for UK initiatives.

Finally, one last stop on our schedule: the Batorama Boat Tour. This one-hour boat tour took us around the city, and listening to the audio narration of historical facts in conjunction with the astonishing sights really made it the perfect way to end our trip. The rest of our time in Strasbourg was dedicated to self-directed cultural discovery before our departure the following day.

Concluding Thoughts

What an amazing week, thanks to the SLSJ Abroad team who meticulously planned each day, alongside Winnie Monaghan and Siobhan Regan. The connections and experience of Professor Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou and Dr Katie Johnston made it all possible. My peers and I had such a positive experience visiting Strasbourg, learning about the European institutions we visited and their functions. This experience has truly been eye-opening, as it allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of legal issues as well as boosting our confidence. With that in mind, I encourage students to apply for study trips and explore all the fantastic opportunities that the Liverpool Law School has to offer.

Three last words: À bientôt, Strasbourg!