From March 1, 2026, the Senate (Supreme Court) and the Constitutional Court will have the right to request an advisory opinion from the European Court of Human Rights on essential issues concerning the interpretation or application of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms or its protocols. This is provided for in Protocol 16 to the Convention, which Latvia has ratified.

The conclusions reached in the Court's advisory opinion are not legally binding, but they provide insight and guidance on the interpretation and application of the rights guaranteed by the Convention and its protocols in contentious and previously unresolved issues.

The law “On Protocol No. 16 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms”, by which the Saeima (parliament) supported Latvia's accession to the Protocol, entered into force on November 6. Yesterday, on November 25, the instrument of ratification was submitted to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. In accordance with the Protocol, it will enter into force in Latvia on the first day of the month following a three-month period from the date on which Latvia submitted the instrument of ratification to the Council of Europe. Specifically, the Protocol will enter into force in Latvia on March 1, 2026.

Currently, the Protocol has been ratified by 26 member states of the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Greece, Georgia, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Moldova, Monaco, the Netherlands, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, Spain, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Sweden, and today also Latvia. Three other member states of the Convention have signed the Protocol: Italy, Norway, and Turkey.

Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs