The European Public Law Organization (EPLO), through its Institute for Transparency and Fundamental Rights, in cooperation with the Athens Court of Appeal, successfully organized the scientific conference “The Impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on Selected Areas of Greek Law” on Sunday, 24 May 2026, at the Ceremonial Hall of the Court of Appeal.
The event brought together distinguished academics, judges, legal practitioners and experts to examine how the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) shapes the Greek legal order across civil, criminal, administrative and constitutional domains.
1st Session — Chair: Barbara Papari, Vice‑President of the Supreme Court
The session opened with Charalambos Tsiliotis, who examined the position of the ECHR in the Greek legal order, emphasizing its supremacy, its character as a “living instrument,” and the ongoing dialogue between the Constitution and the Convention. He referred to landmark cases such as Tyrer, Loizidou, the Greek Case, and Lykourezos, highlighting Article 53 ECHR and comparative approaches to ECHR‑friendly interpretation.
Rebecca‑Emmanuela Papadopoulou analyzed the ECHR within the EU legal order, outlining how the CJEU developed fundamental rights protection through case law (Nold, Johnston, ERT) and discussing the EU’s accession to the ECHR, its legal implications, and the challenges created by the current accession gap.
Dimitrios Liapis focused on property rights under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1, presenting key Supreme Court judgments on strict liability, legitimate expectations, and retroactive extinguishment of claims, and identifying three domestic approaches to ECtHR jurisprudence: cautious adoption, mature assimilation, and critical delineation.
Anastasia Poulou addressed social security, welfare, and expropriation cases under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1, highlighting ECtHR jurisprudence on economic value protection, formal and de facto expropriations, and the central role of compensation, with special reference to Jewish Community of Thessaloniki v. Greece.
2nd Session — Chair: Charalambos Tsiliotis
Evgenia Prevedourou examined administrative justice and Article 6 ECHR, focusing on admissibility rules, proportionality review, and the persistent issue of excessive length of proceedings. She also discussed state liability for judicial acts and recent developments in administrative procedural law.
Spyridon Tsantinis analyzed judicial formalism under Article 6, highlighting the ECtHR’s sensitivity to divergent domestic case law, the proportionality of procedural restrictions, and the demanding standards for cassation petitions in Greece.
Georgios Lekkas presented the application of Article 8 ECHR in family law, discussing dynamic interpretation, margin of appreciation, and proportionality. He reviewed major Greek cases on civil partnerships, Sharia law, name and identity rights, and recent efforts toward ECHR‑friendly interpretation, including AP 1517/2023 on biological truth and family stability.
Conclusion
The conference concluded with a substantive discussion on the evolving dialogue between national courts and the ECtHR, the challenges arising from contemporary jurisprudence, and the need for continued scientific engagement.
Strengthening Dialogue and Legal Scholarship
The conference reaffirmed the EPLO’s commitment to fostering legal scholarship, promoting judicial dialogue and supporting the dissemination of knowledge on fundamental rights. Participants underscored the importance of continuous training and cooperation among legal institutions to ensure the effective implementation of the ECHR in Greece.
A certificate of attendance was provided to participants.
