Procedural Transition in the Principle of the Best Interests of the Child in the Eyes of the European Court of Human Rights

The principle of the best interests of the child, as a criterion for substantive review, is conceptually ambiguous and uncertain in its application. To mitigate this dilemma in the application of the principle of the best interests of the child, the European Court of human Rights(EChR) has made a procedural transition in the interpretation and application of this principle, shifting from conducting specific proportionality analysis or interests balancing in cases related to children to examining whether states Parties have applied the principle of the best interests of the child in their judicial procedures.Moreover, EChR has developed three procedural review schemes: holistic reviews, key factors-based reviews and factor list-based reviews.Compared with substantive reviews, procedural reviews adhere to the EChR doctrine of margin of appreciation, restrict the free discretion of the court, give play to the effect of procedural autonomy, and pursue the value of subjective procedural justice, which has its own unique theoretical value and practical significance, and provides a feasible reference for China to interpret and apply the principle of the best interests of the child.