On August 1, 2021, Protocol No. 15 amending the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms will enter into force.

The time limit for lodging a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights will be reduced from 6 months to 4 months. The period starts to run from the date on which the final decision in the matter in question was taken.

The shorter time limit will take effect 6 months after Protocol No. 15 enters into force.

Protocol No. 15 also introduces other changes:

– the parties to the dispute are deprived of the opportunity to object to the transfer of jurisdiction by the Chamber to the Grand Chamber;

– the European Court of Human Rights has been deprived of the possibility of rejecting a complaint on the ground that the party has not suffered material harm.