PICHLER sen. and PICHLER jun. v. AUSTRIA



                  EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

                             FIRST CHAMBER

                       Application No. 18305/91

               Karl Pichler sen. and Karl Pichler jun.

                                against

                                Austria

                       REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

                       (adopted on 5 July 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 Karl Pichler sen. and

Karl Pichler jun. against Austria on 19 April 1991.  It was registered

on 4 June 1991 under file No. 18305/91.

      The applicants were represented by Mr. M. Ganzert, a lawyer

practising in Wels.

      The Government of Austria were represented by their Agent,

Ambassador H. Türk, then Head of the International Law Department at

the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2.    On 10 February 1993 the Commission (First 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 (First Chamber) found that the parties had reached

a friendly settlement of the case and on 5 July 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:

             Sir  Basil HALL, Acting President of the First Chamber

             MM.  F. ERMACORA

                  A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK

                  C.L. ROZAKIS

             Mrs. J. LIDDY

             MM.  M. PELLONPÄÄ

                  B. MARXER

                  G.B. REFFI

                  B. CONFORTI

                                PART I

                        STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

4.    The first applicant, born in 1928, is an Austrian national and

resident at Leonding in Austria.  The second applicant, the first

applicant's son born in 1953, is also an Austrian national and resident

at Marchtrenk in Austria.

5.    The applicants complained under Article 6 para. 1 of the

Convention about the length of criminal proceedings concerning in

particular the charge of receiving property obtained by tax evasion

(Abgabenhehlerei) within the meaning of the Austrian Code of Tax

Offences (Finanzstrafgesetz).  The proceedings were instituted against

the applicants in 1981.  They terminated in 1991.

                                PART II

                           SOLUTION REACHED

6.    Following the decision on the admissibility of the application,

the Commission (First Chamber) 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.

7.    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.

8.    By letters of 11 and 18 June 1993, respectively, the applicants

and the respondent Government submitted the following agreement reached

between them:

    "Statements of the parties with a view of 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. 18305/91,

lodged by Mr. Karl Pichler sen. and Mr. Karl Pichler jun., 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

      applicants a sum amounting to altogether AS 180,000 as

      compensation in respect of any possible claims relating to the

      present application.  This sum includes AS 30,000 in respect of

      counsel's fees and expenses incurred in the proceedings before

      the Commission.

      This amount will be paid to the applicants' representative

      Mr. M. Ganzert in Wels.

      2.   The applicants declare their application settled.

      3.   The applicants waive any further claims against the

      Republic of Austria relating to the present application."

           "Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung

      In der Individualbeschwerde Nr. 18305/91 der Herren Karl Pichler

sen. and Karl Pichler jun. 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 den Beschwerdeführern

      als Ausgleich für sämtliche etwaige Ansprüche im Zusammenhang mit

      der vorliegenden Individualbeschwerde einen Gesamtbetrag von

      AS 180,000.  Dieser Betrag umfaßt AS 30,000 hinsichtlich der

      Gebühren und Auslagen, die im Rahmen des Verfahren vor der

      Kommission entstanden sind.

      Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten der

      Beschwerdeführer Herrn M. Ganzert in Wels überwiesen.

      2.   Die Beschwerdeführer erklären ihre oben genannte Beschwerde

      als erledigt.

      3.   Die Beschwerdeführer verzichten auf die Geltendmachung

      allfälliger weiterer Forderungen gegen die Republik Österreich

      im Zusammenhang mit dem der Beschwerde zugrundeliegenden

      Sachverhalt."

9.    At its session on 5 July 1993, the Commission (First Chamber)

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.

10.   For these reasons, the Commission (First Chamber) adopted this

Report.

           Secretary to the                 Acting President of the

            First Chamber                         First Chamber

          (M. F. BUQUICCHIO)                    (SIR BASIL HALL)

 

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