FIRST SECTION
CASE OF FARINA AND OTHERS v. ITALY
(Application no. 41642/13 and 13 others – see appended list)
JUDGMENT
STRASBOURG
16 May 2024
This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.
In the case of Farina and Others v. Italy,
The European Court of Human Rights (First Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:
Péter Paczolay, President,
Gilberto Felici,
Raffaele Sabato, judges,
and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having deliberated in private on 18 April 2024,
Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:
PROCEDURE
1. The case originated in applications against Italy lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on the various dates indicated in the appended table.
2. The Italian Government (“the Government”) were given notice of the applications.
THE FACTS
3. The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table.
4. The applicants complained of the excessive length of civil proceedings and of the impossibility of lodging an application under Law No. 89 of 24 March 2001, known as the “Pinto Act”, pending the main proceedings. Some applicants also raised other complaints under Article 13 of the Convention and Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention.
relevant legal framework
5. The relevant domestic law and practice can be found in Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others, §§ 6-8, 28 April 2022.
THE LAW
JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS6. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.
ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION7. The applicants complained principally that the length of the civil proceedings in question had been incompatible with the “reasonable time” requirement. They relied on Article 6 § 1 of the Convention.
8. The Court reiterates that the reasonableness of the length of proceedings must be assessed in the light of the circumstances of the case and with reference to the following criteria: the complexity of the case, the conduct of the applicants and the relevant authorities and what was at stake for the applicants in the dispute (see Frydlender v. France [GC], no. 30979/96, § 43, ECHR 2000-VII).
9. In the leading cases of Cocchiarella v. Italy [GC], no. 64886/01, ECHR 2006‑V, and Verrascina and Others v. Italy, cited above, §§ 31-33, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case.
10. Having examined all the material submitted to it, the Court has not found any fact or argument capable of justifying the overall length of the proceedings at the national level. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the length of the proceedings was excessive and failed to meet the “reasonable time” requirement.
11. These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention.
OTHER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS UNDER WELL-ESTABLISHED CASE-LAW12. Some applicants complained under Article 13 of the Convention concerning the lack of an effective remedy (see appended table). This complaint is not manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) of the Convention, nor is it inadmissible on any other ground. Accordingly, it must be declared admissible.
13. Having examined all the material before it, the Court concludes that it also discloses violations of the Convention in the light of its findings in Verrascina and Others v. Italy, cited above, §§ 23, 26, 30.
14. In relation to applications nos. 50218/15 and 50579/15, the applicants also raised another complaint under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention concerning the interference with the peaceful enjoyment of their possessions caused by the excessive length of the civil proceedings.
15. In view of the findings in the above paragraphs, the Court considers that there is no need to deal separately with this remaining complaint.
APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION16. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case‑law (see, in particular, Cocchiarella, cited above), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table.
FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY,
Decides to join the applications;Declares the applications admissible;Holds that these applications disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention concerning the excessive length of civil proceedings;Holds that there has been a violation of the Convention as regards the other complaints raised under Article 13 of the Convention (see appended table);Holds that it is not necessary to examine separately the remaining complaints under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention;Holds(a) that the respondent State is to pay the applicants, within three months, the amounts indicated in the appended table;
(b) that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amounts at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points.
Done in English, and notified in writing on 16 May 2024, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.
Viktoriya Maradudina Péter Paczolay
Acting Deputy Registrar President
APPENDIX
List of applications raising complaints under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention
(excessive length of civil proceedings)
No.
Application no.
Date of introduction
Applicant’s name
Year of birth
Representative’s name
and location
Start of proceedings
End of proceedings
Total length
Levels of jurisdiction
Case-law
Other complaints under well-established case-law
Amount awarded for non-pecuniary damage per applicant/
household
(in euros)[1]
Amount awarded for costs and expenses per application
(in euros)[2]
41642/13
19/06/2013
Antonio FARINA
1958
Pasquariello Gianpiero
Caserta
15/09/2003
03/07/2012
8 years and 9 months and 19 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
12,500
250
43265/13
25/06/2013
Leo GIRONI
1963
Nucci Domenico
Castiglion Fiorentino
17/05/2012
26/08/2020
8 years and 3 months and 10 days
2 levels of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
5,600
250
4584/14
21/06/2013
Maurizio MARCHETTI
1965
09/04/2001
08/06/2020
19 years and 2 months
2 levels of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings -
20,800
-
17325/14
02/04/2013
Corrado CODELLA
1935
Pasquariello Francesco
Caserta
10/03/2005
28/06/2012
7 years and 3 months and 19 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
8,300
250
32138/14
08/04/2014
Pietro PARISI
1946
Faiella Giuseppe
Nocera Inferiore
26/02/1988
17/02/2017
28 years and
11 months and 23 days
4 levels of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
14,400
250
59573/14
24/10/2014
Maria Liliana COLLU
1957
Masi Piergiorgio
Pisa
23/06/1989
03/06/2015
25 years and
11 months and 12 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
24,000
250
40481/15
10/08/2015
Giuseppe FORASTIERE
1957
Strazzullo Luca
Naples
06/11/2008
21/07/2016
7 years and 8 months and 16 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
8,000
250
50218/15
01/10/2015
(38 applicants)
Iolanda Angela BELVISI
1970
Angela BILLARDELLO
1925
Anna Maria
BILLARDELLO
1978
Salvatore
BILLARDELLO
1951
Antonio Vittorio
BRIGNONE
1941
Giuseppe BRIGNONE
1927
Giuseppe Ferruccio
Omar BRIGNONE
1966
Renzo Domenico
BRIGNONE
1971
Salvatore BRIGNONE
1920
Giuseppe CASANO
1971
Francesca Donatella
D’AIETTI
1977
Giacomo D’AIETTI
1939
Maria Anna D’ANCONA
1965
Francesca Giuseppa
DE NUNZIO
1950
Pierangelo DI MALTA
1967
Rosa DI MALTA
1935
Giuseppina Chiara Anna
DIANA
1938
Antonio GABRIELE
1957
Giuseppe GABRIELE
1951
Vincenzo Fabrizio
GABRIELE
1978
Caterina Maria GARSIA
1964
Giuseppino GIGLIO
1957
Giambattista Emiliano
IMPELLIZZERI
1972
Francesco LO PINTO
1946
Giuseppa LO PINTO
1921
Alberto LOMBARDI
1969
Loredana Maria Pia
MACCOTTA
1971
Giuseppa Raimonda
MARINO
1968
Susanna Fortunella
MURA
1979
Caterina Fortuna
MURANA
1951
Antonietta POLICARDO
1963
Giuseppa POLICARDO
1931
Salvatore POLICARDO
1956
Anna Maria Luisa
RAFFAELE
1966
Salvatore SANA
1944
Giuseppina
STORNANTE
1941
Alessio VALENZA
1962
Maria Rosa VALENZA
1964
Romano Giovanni
Rome
05/11/1996
pending
More than 27 years and 3 months and
11 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
12,600
250
50579/15
01/10/2015
(70 applicants)
Maria ALMANZA
1948
Gbattista LO PINTO
1951
Giuseppa Margherita
Irma PANDOLFO
1949
Filippo ODDO
1955
Enrico GRECO
1973
Giuseppa Raimonda
MARINO
1968
Baldassare Walter
SORRENTINO
1967
Rosa Maria PONTILLO
1956
Maria CASANO
1955
Giovanni CASANO
1925
Benedetto Savio
CASANO
1964
Giuseppe Natale
FERRANDES
1950
Anna Saveria Clementina
BRIGNONE
1955
Rosa LO PINTO
1947
Giuseppe
IMPELLIZZERI
1943
Salvatore Roberto
GABRIELE
1953
Angela Maria CASANO
1948
Eva RAFFAELE
1922
Angela DIANA
1933
Melania Angela
SORRENTINO
1972
Francesco LO PINTO
1943
Anna Rita GABRIELE
1967
Salvatore D’AMICO
1949
Giovanni Emilio
BRIGNONE
1946
Maria BONOMO
1956
Salvatore BRIGNONE
1920
Mariolino VALENZA
1952
Vincenzo FARINA
1937
Antonia CONSOLO
1953
Maria CANDULLO
1941
Pierangelo DI MALTA
1967
Felice SALERNO
1948
Maria RAFFAELE
1931
Marianna
MADDALENA
1948
Iolanda Angela BELVISI
1970
Giuseppe PAVIA
1957
Teresa GABRIELE
1941
Ivana Giuseppina
D’ANCONA
1963
Rosalba CHIAIESI
1953
Rosa BERNARDO
1934
Maria Antonietta
GABRIELE
1945
Rosa FERRANDES
1949
Matilde BRIGNONE
1953
Maria Anna D’ANCONA
1965
Francesca Paola Epifania
GIUNTA
1939
Angela Pia GIGLIO
1970
Maria Marisia
GIACOMARRO
1943
Maria Gioconda RIZZO
1939
Salvatore PAVIA
1923
Vincenzo FARINA
1958
Giuseppe GABRIELE
1951
Giambattista LO PINTO
1970
Francesco Erminio
GRECO
1946
Iolanda GIANNUSA
1940
Francesco RIZZO
1947
Caterina PAVIA
1939
Francesco MAGGIORE
1933
Vincenzo GABRIELE
1930
Caterina Irene Maria
BELVISI
1960
Salvatore POLICARDO
1956
Giuseppe SECHI
1965
Beniamino SECHI
1964
Daniela Rina GRECO
1970
Giambattista D’AIETTI
1938
Giuseppina BONOMO
1960
Giuseppina Chiara Anna
DIANA
1938
Household
Erminio D’AMICO
1961
Antonietta D’AMICO
1965
Romano Giovanni
Rome
09/11/1995
pending
More than 28 years and 3 months and
7 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others, 28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
8,400
250
60587/15
03/12/2015
Basilio GIUFFRIDA
1957
Cerio Ennio
Campobasso
23/02/2009
01/07/2020
11 years and 4 months and 9 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
12,800
250
4102/16
05/01/2016
Piergiorgio VALORI
1972
Marini Giulio
Ascoli Piceno
13/05/2002
pending
More than 21 years and 9 months and
3 days
3 levels of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
19,200
250
19219/16
02/04/2016
Luigia
CANTALAMESSA CARBONI
1950
Marini Giulio
Ascoli Piceno
03/08/2007
09/11/2016
9 years and 3 months and 7 days
2 levels of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
6,400
250
23246/16
18/04/2016
Ferdinando D’AUTILIA
1955
Strazzullo Luca
Naples
04/12/2008
06/02/2018
9 years and 2 months and 3 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings
9,600
250
30962/17
13/04/2017
Francesco Antonio
PALESE
1958
De Francesco Iolanda
Corsano
07/06/2006
03/03/2020
13 years and 8 months and 26 days
1 level of jurisdiction
Verrascina and Others v. Italy, nos. 15566/13 and 5 others,
28 April 2022
Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings -
17,600
250
[1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.
[2] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.