As opposed to the member states , the relation of EU law and international law is debated , particularly relating to the European Convention on Human Rights and the United Nations . All EU member states are party to both organisations through international treaties . The Treaty on European Union article 6 ( 2 ) required the EU to accede to the ECHR , but would " not affect the Union 's competences as defined in the Treaties " . This was thought necessary before the Treaty of Lisbon 2007 to ensure that the EU gave adequate protection to human rights , overseen by the external European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg . However , in '' Opinion 2/13 '' , after a request by the Commission to review their plan to accede , the Court of Justice ( in Luxembourg ) produced a five main reasons why it felt that the accession agreement as it stood was incompatible with the treaties . The reasoning was regarded by a majority of commentators as thinly veiled attempt of the Court of Justice to clutch onto its own power , but it has meant the Commission is redrafting a new accession agreement . Under TEU articles 3 ( 5 ) , 21 , 34 and 42 , the EU must also respect the principles of the United Nations Charter . After the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City , the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to freeze the assets of suspected terrorists , linked to Osama Bin Laden . This included a Saudi national , Mr Kadi . Sweden froze his assets pursuant to an EU Regulation , which gave effect to the UN Security Council resolution . In '' Kadi v Commission '' , Mr Kadi claimed there was no evidence that he was connected to terrorism , and he had not had a fair trial : a fundamental human right . The opinion of AG Maduro recalled Aharon Barak , of the Supreme Court of Israel , that it " is when the cannons roar that we especially need the laws " . The Court of Justice held that even UN member can not contravene ' the principles that form part of the very community legal order ' . In effect the EU has developed a rule that within the boundaries of certain jus cogens principles , other courts may take primacy . The content of those core principles remains open to ongoing judicial dialogue among the senior courts in Europe
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
European Union law