From the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty to policy changes in countering terrorism: 2009 was a year rich in legal and political developments that directly implicate human rights. Among the growing intensity of human rights practice and scholarship, even experienced scholars find it difficult to keep track. Recognizing the necessity to identify and critically assess key developments in the human rights field in Europe and the world, the second edition of the European Yearbook on Human Rights brings together 24 contributions by renowned human rights experts who provide a much-needed overview. Edited jointly by representatives of four major European human rights research, teaching and training institutions, the Yearbook offers an innovative structure which allows for quick orientation and direct access to the many facets of Europe’s culture of human rights protection. Opening with four articles on 2009’s most important human rights topics, the Yearbook contains extensive sections on developments in the field of the three main organizations charged with securing human rights in Europe: EU, Council of Europe and OSCE. A further chapter looks at the role of civil society in human rights protection and at multidisciplinary topics. Holistic in its approach, rich in information and highly useful in its analyses, the European Yearbook on Human Rights 2010 provides its readers with a comprehensive overview of the human rights situation in Europe in 2009. The impressive array of authors – academics and diplomats, practitioners and human rights experts – makes the book essential reading for anyone interested in human rights in Europe and beyond.