1964: The European Convention on Human Rights Becomes Part of the Austrian Constitution

In August 1949 the Council of Europe began its work. In the shadow of the mass crimes committed by the Nazis during the Second World War, the aim for the members of this European confederation of states was to protect human rights in Europe through binding, international regulations. As early as 4 November 1950, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) had been fully worked out and in 1953 it came into force. At this point Austria was not yet a sovereign state and it was only after the conclusion of the State Treaty that Austria was able to join the European Council in 1956. Austria signed up to the ECHR in 1958, not without fierce debate in the National Council—some members of parliament believed that signing up to the Convention on Human Rights would mean losing sovereignty again. On 4 March 1964 the ECHR was elevated to constitutional status. This was the first time since 1867 that the "catalogue" of basic and human rights had been fundamentally expanded in the Austrian constitution. The ECHR guarantees fundamental political and civil rights such as the right to life, the ban on torture, and the right to freedom and security. Further economic, social and cultural human rights were confirmed in the European Social Charter of Turin in 1961. The ECHR is continually being expanded through conventions. The ECHR is binding for member states and cases can be taken to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, which was set up in 1959. Both states and individuals can bring cases to the court.