Comité de filtrage/Screening Panel
AFFAIRE HRDLICKA c. AUTRICHE
CASE OF HRDLICKA v. AUSTRIA
(3/1998/906/1118)
DECISION
STRASBOURG
12 mars/March 1998
In the case of Hrdlicka v. Austria[1],
The Screening Panel of the European Court of Human Rights, constituted in accordance with Article 48 § 2 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) and Rule 26 of Rules of Court B[2],
Sitting in private at Strasbourg on 23 February 1998, and composed of the following judges:
MrsE. Palm, Chairwoman,
MrF. Matscher,
MrR. Pekkanen,
and also of Mr H. Petzold, Registrar,
Having regard to the application against the Republic of Austria lodged with the Court on 9 January 1998 by an Austrian national, Mr Herbert Hrdlicka, within the three-month period laid down by Article 32 § 1 and Article 47 of the Convention;
Whereas Austria has recognised the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court (Article 46 of the Convention) and ratified Protocol No. 9 to the Convention, Article 5 of which amends Article 48 of the Convention so as to enable a person, non-governmental organisation or group of individuals having lodged a complaint with the European Commission of Human Rights (“the Commission”) to refer the case to the Court;
Noting that the present case has not been referred to the Court by either the Government of the respondent State or the Commission under Article 48 § 1 (a) or (d) of the Convention;
Having regard to the Commission’s report of 10 September 1997 on the application (no. 19743/92) lodged with the Commission by Mr Hrdlicka on 25 November 1991;
Whereas the applicant complained of the length of proceedings in the Austrian civil courts, to which he was a party, and alleged a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention, under which “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations …, everyone is entitled to a … hearing within a reasonable time by [a] … tribunal…”;
Whereas the applicant, in specifying the object of his application, as required by Rule 34 § 1 (a) of Rules of Court B, stated that he sought a decision by the Court holding that there had been a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention and ordering the respondent State to pay him just satisfaction by way of compensation for the non-pecuniary damage he had allegedly sustained on account of the denial of justice caused by the extreme length of the proceedings;
Having regard to Article 48 of the Convention and Rule 34 §§ 1 (a), 3 and 4 of Rules of Court B,
1.Finds that
(a)the case raises no serious question affecting the interpretation or application of the Convention, as the Court has already established case-law on the “reasonable time” requirement in Article 6 § 1 of the Convention; and
(b)the case does not, for any other reason, warrant consideration by the Court as, in the event of a finding that there has been a breach of the Convention, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe can award the applicant just satisfaction, having regard to any proposals made by the Commission;
2.Decides, therefore, unanimously, that the case will not be considered by the Court.
Done in English and in French, and notified in writing on 12 March 1998 pursuant to Rule 34 § 4 of Rules of Court B.
Signed: Elisabeth Palm
Chairwoman
Signed: Herbert Petzold
Registrar
[1]Notes by the Registrar
. The case is numbered 3/1998/906/1118. The first number is the case’s position on the list of cases referred to the Court in the relevant year (second number). The last two numbers indicate the case’s position on the list of cases referred to the Court since its creation and on the list of the corresponding originating applications to the Commission.
[2]. Rules of Court B, which came into force on 2 October 1994, apply to all cases concerning States bound by Protocol No. 9.
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