Information Note on the Court’s case-law
September 1995
Procola v. Luxemburg - 14570/89
Judgment 28.9.1995
Article 6
Administrative proceedings
Article 6-1
Civil rights and obligations
Impartial tribunal
Participation in decision on an application to set aside by members of Conseil d'Etat who had earlier given their opinion on the impugned provisions: Article 6 § 1 applicable; violation
[This summary is extracted from the Court’s official reports (Series A or Reports of Judgments and Decisions). Its formatting and structure may therefore differ from the Case-Law Information Note summaries.]
I.ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION
A.Applicability
1.Whether there was a dispute concerning a right
Dispute between the parties as to whether ministerial orders fixing milk quantities could be given retrospective effect - applicant association's case sufficiently tenable, since Conseil d'Etat had conducted a detailed examination of the conflicting arguments.
2.Civil nature of the right in issue
Close connection between proceedings brought by applicant and consequences their outcome might have had for a pecuniary right - by applying to Conseil d'Etat Procola was using only means at its disposal of attempting to obtain reimbursement of additional levies - in any event, payment of additional levies to national authorities could be construed as deprivation of possessions - civil nature of the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions.
Conclusion: Article 6 § 1 applicable (unanimously).
B.Compliance
Complaint concerning lack of independence: not necessary to determine the issue.
Complaint concerning lack of impartiality: four members of Conseil d'Etat had carried out both advisory and judicial functions - mere fact that certain persons successively performed the two types of function in respect of the same decisions was capable of casting doubt on structural impartiality of the Conseil d'Etat's Judicial Committee -applicant association's fears in that respect justified.
Conclusion: violation (unanimously).
II.ARTICLE 50 OF THE CONVENTION
A.Pecuniary damage: no causal link with violation found - compensation claim disallowed.
B.Costs and expenses: reimbursement assessed on an equitable basis.
Conclusion: respondent State to pay a specified sum in respect of costs and expenses (unanimously).
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This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
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