Systemic racism: ECHR condemns France for discriminatory identity checks in one instance, but rejects five other applications
In its decision in Seydi et autres v France, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has condemned France for identity checks deemed “discriminatory.” Checks are “the most widely carried...
The ECHR Directs France Towards Better Protection of Minors against Sexual Offenses
On 24 April, 2025, the European Court of Human Rights ordered France to pay compensation to three applicants on the grounds that it had failed to effectively protect them against...
Breaking Encryption, Breaking Rights? France’s Legislative Stand and What India Must Learn
On 20 March 2025, the French National Assembly voted down Article 8 of the proposed Drug Trafficking Bill (“Proposition de loi visant à sortir la France du piège du narcotrafic”),...
When Ideology Trumps Rights: The ECtHR’s Rejection of Sex Workers’ Human Rights in M.A. and Others v. France
In July, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered its judgment in the case of M.A. and others v France. The case was initiated by 261 sex workers who...
Business and Human Rights: A Cautious and Promising Interpretation of the French Vigilance Law
In rulings issued on 18 June 2024, the Paris Court of Appeal deemed admissible the actions brought by several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) against the French multinationals TotalEnergy and EDF on...
Guaranteeing Respect for Children’s Image Rights: An Illusion of Protection?
Law n° 2024-120 dated 19 February 2024, related to guaranteeing respect for children’s image rights, modifies several articles of the French Civil Code relating to parental authority. It aims to...
The European Court of Human Rights’ Gendered Climate Docket: KlimaSeniorinnen and Duarte Agostinho
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) just announced that the judgments in all three climate cases before the Grand Chamber will be issued on 9 April: Verein KlimaSeniorinnen v...
The Enshrinement of Abortion in the French Constitution. Kairos: Dobbs as a window of opportunity? (Part I)
On 8 March 2024, the sealing ceremony for the 25th amendment to the French Constitution of 1958 took place at the ministry of Justice in Paris, marking the inclusion in...
The Enshrinement of Abortion in the French Constitution. Phronesis: after the celebration, a call for caution (Part II)
The first part of this blog examined the process that led to the amendment that enshrined abortion in the French Constitution. In this second part, it is argued that, while...
Is Mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence a Paper Tiger? Lessons from the French Experience (Part I)
In 2017, France became the first country to enact a due diligence law, the Law on the Duty of Vigilance, requiring large French companies to identify risks and prevent serious...
Is Mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence a Paper Tiger? Lessons from the French Experience (Part II)
France was the first country to enact a due diligence law with its Law on the Duty of Vigilance. While the Law has faced challenges in implementation, outlined in a...
The 2024 Paris Olympics: AI Mass Surveillance Under the Upcoming EU AI Act
Drafting legislation that spans 27 countries has always been a formidable challenge for the European Union’s legislators. The proposed 2003 Artificial Intelligence Act [AI Act] has ushered in a new...
