EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
SECOND CHAMBER
Application No. 15154/89
Marion Baumgartner
against
Austria
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
(adopted on 16 February 1993)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
PART I: STATEMENT OF THE FACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
PART II: SOLUTION REACHED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
INTRODUCTION
1. This Report relates to the application introduced under
Article 25 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by Marion Baumgartner against Austria
on 23 May 1989. It was registered on 21 June 1989 under file
No. 15154/89.
The applicant was represented by Mr. K. Lichtl, a lawyer
practising in Linz.
The Government of Austria were represented by their Agent,
Ambassador H. Türk, Head of the International Law Department at the
Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2. On 1 April 1992 the Commission (Second Chamber) declared the
application admissible. It then proceeded to carry out its task
under Article 28 para. 1 of the Convention which provides as follows:
"In the event of the Commission accepting a petition referred to
it:
a. it shall, with a view to ascertaining the facts, undertake
together with the representatives of the parties an
examination of the petition and, if need be, an
investigation, for the effective conduct of which the
States concerned shall furnish all necessary facilities,
after an exchange of views with the Commission;
b. it shall at the same time place itself at the disposal of
the parties concerned with a view to securing a friendly
settlement of the matter on the basis of respect for Human
Rights as defined in this Convention."
3. The Commission found that the parties had reached a friendly
settlement of the case and on 16 February 1993 it adopted this Report,
which, in accordance with Article 28 para. 2 of the Convention, is
confined to a brief statement of the facts and of the solution reached.
The following members were present when the Report was adopted:
MM. S. TRECHSEL, President of the Second Chamber
G. JÖRUNDSSON
A. WEITZEL
J.-C. SOYER
H. G. SCHERMERS
H. DANELIUS
F. MARTINEZ
J.-C. GEUS
PART I
STATEMENT OF THE FACTS
4. The applicant is an Austrian national and resident at Hörsching
in Austria. She was born out of wedlock in April 1983. In May 1983
Mr. Z., who had already one child born in wedlock in 1963 and another
child born out of wedlock in 1976, recognised the paternity as regards
the applicant. Mr. Z. died intestate on 1 February 1988.
5. In subsequent succession proceedings, the Austrian courts
rejected the applicant's acceptance of succession on the ground that
there was an intestate succession and the legitimate child had stated
his acceptance of succession with limited liability. Under S. 754
para. 2 of the Austrian Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch; in the
version in force at the relevant time), in case of intestate
succession, the legitimate child, having accepted succession, had
precedence over an illegitimate child.
6. The applicant complained that, as a result of the application of
S. 754 para. 2 of the Civil Code, she could not claim a right to
intestate succession after her father's death on the sole ground of her
birth out of wedlock. The applicant invoked Article 14 of the
Convention, in conjunction with Article 1 of Protocol No. 1.
7. On 1 January 1991 the Austrian Act on the Reform of the Law on
Succession (Erbrechtsänderungsgesetz) of 1989 entered into force,
repealing S. 754 of the Austrian Civil Code.
PART II
SOLUTION REACHED
8. Following the decision on the admissibility of the application,
the Commission placed itself at the disposal of the parties with a view
to securing a friendly settlement in accordance with
Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the Convention and invited the parties to
submit any proposals they wished to make.
9. In accordance with the usual practice, the Chamber Secretary,
acting on the Commission's instructions, contacted the parties to
explore the possibilities of reaching a friendly settlement.
10. By letters of 22 and 27 January 1993 the parties submitted the
following agreement reached between them:
"Statements of the parties with a view to a friendly settlement With reference to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the parties in the proceedings concerning Application No. 15154/89, lodged by Miss Marion Baumgartner, declare with a view to a friendly settlement, reached with assistance of the European Commission of Human Rights, as follows: 1. The Government of the Republic of Austria will pay to the applicant a sum amounting to altogether AS 359,187 as compensation in respect of any possible claims relating to the present application. This sum includes AS 59,187 in respect of counsel's fees and expenses incurred in the domestic proceedings and the proceedings before the Commission. This amount will be paid to the applicant's representative Mr. K. Lichtl in Linz. 2. The applicant declares her application settled. 3. The applicant waives any further claims against the Republic of Austria relating to the present application." "Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung In der Individualbeschwerde Nr. 15154/89 des Fräulein Marion Baumgartner verständigen sich die Parteien unter Bezugnahme auf Artikel 28 Abs. 1 b der Europäischen Konvention zum Schutze der Menschenrechte und Grundfreiheiten und unter Mitwirkung der Europäischen Kommission für Menschenrechte auf die nachstehende gütliche Regelung: 1. Die österreichische Regierung zahlt der Beschwerdeführerin als Ausgleich für sämtliche etwaige Ansprüche im Zusammenhang mit der vorliegenden Individualbeschwerde einen Gesamtbetrag von AS 359.187. Dieser Betrag umfaßt AS 59.187 hinsichtlich der Gebühren und Auslagen, die im Rahmen der nationalen Gerichtsverfahren und des Verfahrens vor der Kommission entstanden sind. Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten der Beschwerdeführerin Herrn K. Lichtl in Linz überwiesen. 2. Die Beschwerdeführerin erklärt ihre oben genannte Beschwerde als erledigt. 3. Die Beschwerdeführerin verzichtet auf die Geltendmachung allfälliger weiterer Forderungen gegen die Republik Österreich im Zusammenhang mit dem der Beschwerde zugrundeliegenden Sachverhalt." 11. At its session on 16 February 1993, the Commission noted that the parties had reached an agreement regarding the terms of a settlement. It further noted that S. 754 of the Austrian Civil Code, which formed the basis of the decision complained of, has been repeated by the Act on the Reform of the Law on Succession. The Commission concluded, having regard to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the Convention, that the friendly settlement of the case had been secured on the basis of respect for Human Rights as defined in the Convention. 12. For these reasons, the Commission adopted this Report. Secretary to the Second Chamber President of the Second Chamber (K. ROGGE) (S. TRECHSEL)
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