EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
PLENARY
Application No. 13816/88
Anton MAJEROTTO
against
AUSTRIA
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
(adopted on 22 May 1992)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
PART I: STATEMENT OF THE FACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
PART II: SOLUTION REACHED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
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 Anton Majerotto against Austria on
15 January 1988. It was registered on 29 April 1988 under file
No. 13816/88.
The applicant was represented by Mr. F. Schwank, a lawyer
practising in Vienna.
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 16 October 1991 the Commission declared admissible the
applicant's complaint about the rejection for non-compliance with a
time-limit of his complaint to the Administrative Court
(Verwaltungsgerichtshof) (1).
3. The Commission 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."
4. The Commission found that the parties had reached a friendly
settlement of the case and on 22 May 1992 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.
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(1) This decision is public and may be obtained from the Commission's
Secretariat on request.
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The following members were present when the Report was adopted:
MM. C.A. NØRGAARD, President
S. TRECHSEL
F. ERMACORA
E. BUSUTTIL
A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK
A. WEITZEL
J.-C. SOYER
H.G. SCHERMERS
H. DANELIUS
Sir Basil HALL
MM. F. MARTINEZ
Mrs. J. LIDDY
MM. L. LOUCAIDES
J.-C. GEUS
M.P. PELLONPÄÄ
B. MARXER
PART I
STATEMENT OF THE FACTS
5. On 6 February 1986 the applicant was found guilty by the Lienz
District Authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) of committing offences
under the Road Traffic Act 1960 (Strassenverkehrsordnung) and the Motor
Vehicles Act 1967 (Kraftfahrgesetz). His appeals to the Provincial
Governor (Landeshauptmann) and the Provincial Government
(Landesregierung) of Tyrol were rejected on 27 November 1986. Legal
aid for a complaint to the Administrative Court was granted on
10 February 1987. The lawyer who eventually agreed to act for the
applicant - the fifth the Bar Association had contacted - was appointed
on 17 April 1987, and received the papers from the Bar Association on
21 April 1987. On 22 April 1987 the lawyer received a note from the
court that the first legal aid lawyer had been appointed on
17 March 1987. The applicant's legal aid lawyer submitted his
complaint to the Administrative Court on 29 April 1987, one day after
the expiry of the time-limit of six weeks from the appointment of the
first legal aid lawyer.
6. Before the Commission the applicant did not invoke any specific
provision of the Convention, although in his submissions of
31 July 1990 his lawyer referred to Article 6 para. 3(b).
PART II
SOLUTION REACHED
7. 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.
8. In accordance with the usual practice, the Secretary, acting on
the Commission's instructions, contacted the parties to explore the
possibilities of reaching a friendly settlement.
9. By letter of 19 May 1992 the applicant's representative, and by
letter of 21 May 1992 the Agent of the Government submitted the
following identical declarations on the agreement reached between the
applicant and the Government in May 1992:
[Translation]
"Declaration by the parties with a view to a friendly settlement
In connection with Application No. 13816/88 by Mr. Majerotto, the
parties, with reference to Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the European
Convention on Human Rights and to the assistance of the European
Commission of Human Rights, declare as follows:
1. The Government of the Republic of Austria will pay to the
applicant a sum amounting to altogether AS 40,000 as compensation
in respect of any possible claims relating to the present
application. This sum includes AS 30,000 in respect of costs and
expenses incurred before the Commission.
This amount will be paid to the applicant's representative,
Mr. F. Schwank, in Vienna.
2. The applicant declares his application settled.
3. The applicant waives any further claims against the Republic
of Austria relating to the present application.
[German]
"Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung
In der Individualbeschwerde Nr. 13816/88 des Herrn Majerotto
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 dem Beschwerdeführer
als Ausgleich für sämtliche etwaigen Ansprüche im Zusammenhang
mit der vorliegenden Individualbeschwerde einen Gesamtbetrag von
AS 40.000. Dieser Betrag umfaßt AS 30.000 hinsichtlich der
Gebühren und Auslagen, die im Rahmen des Verfahrens vor der
Kommission entstanden sind.
Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten des
Beschwerdeführers Herrn Schwank in Wien überwiesen.
2. Der Beschwerdeführer erklärt seine oben genannte Beschwerde
als erledigt.
3. Der Beschwerdeführer verzichtet auf die Geltendmachung
allfälliger weiterer Forderungen gegen die Republik Österreich
im Zusammenhang mit dem der Beschwerde zugrundeliegenden
Sachverhalt."
10. At its session on 22 May 1992, the Commission noted that the
parties had reached an agreement regarding the terms of a settlement.
It further considered, 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.
11. For these reasons, the Commission adopted this Report.
Secretary to the Commission President of the Commission
(H.C. KRÜGER) (C.A. NØRGAARD)
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