First, a formal linking of the EU and ECHR could be seen as underlining the EU’s concern for human rights, given that the ECHR is seen as part of European cultural and political heritage. Second, the accession would finally answer criticisms of double standards: that the EU requires accession of all Member States but not, before Lisbon at least, of itself. Third, and crucially, EU accession to the ECHR would alleviate the situation in which individuals find themselves when faced by possible breaches of the ECHR by EU institutions. At present, unless EU law has been implemented by some Member State act (in which case action would be against that Member State) there is no possible action in Strasbourg. This leaves a gap in judicial enforcement.