FIRST SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 28800/03
Angela RUBORTONE against Italy
and 25 other applications
(see appended table)
The European Court of Human Rights (First Section), sitting on 29 November 2018 as a Committee composed of:
Aleš Pejchal, President,
Jovan Ilievski,
Gilberto Felici, judges,
and Liv Tigerstedt, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,
Having regard to the above applications lodged on the various dates indicated in the appended table,
Having regard to the declaration submitted by the respondent Government requesting the Court to strike the applications out of the list of cases,
Having deliberated, decides as follows:
FACTS AND PROCEDURE
The list of applicants is set out in the appended table.
The applicants’ complaints under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention concerning the excessive length of civil proceedings were communicated to the Italian Government (“the Government”).
THE LAW
Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single decision.
After unsuccessful friendly-settlement negotiations, the Government informed the Court that they proposed to make a unilateral declaration with a view to resolving the issues raised by these complaints. They further requested the Court to strike out the applications in accordance with Article 37 of the Convention.
The Government acknowledged the excessive length of civil proceedings. They offered to pay the applicants the amounts detailed in the appended table and invited the Court to strike the applications out of the list of cases in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (c) of the Convention. The amounts would be payable within three months from the date of notification of the Court’s decision. In the event of failure to pay these amounts within the above-mentioned three-month period, the Government undertook to pay simple interest on them, from the expiry of that period until settlement, at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points.
The payment will constitute the final resolution of the cases.
The applicants were sent the terms of the Government’s unilateral declaration several weeks before the date of this decision. The Court has not received a response from the applicants accepting the terms of the declaration.
The Court observes that Article 37 § 1 (c) enables it to strike a case out of its list if:
“... for any other reason established by the Court, it is no longer justified to continue the examination of the application”.
Thus, it may strike out applications under Article 37 § 1 (c) on the basis of a unilateral declaration by a respondent Government even if the applicants wish the examination of the cases to be continued (see, in particular, Tahsin Acar v. Turkey (preliminary objections) [GC], no. 26307/95, §§ 75‑77, ECHR 2003-VI).
The Court has established clear and extensive case-law concerning complaints relating to the excessive length of civil proceedings (see, for example, Cocchiarella v. Italy [GC], no. 64886/01, ECHR 2006‑V).
Noting the admissions contained in the Government’s declaration as well as the amount of compensation proposed – which is consistent with the amounts awarded in similar cases – the Court considers that it is no longer justified to continue the examination of the applications (Article 37 § 1 (c)).
In the light of the above considerations, the Court is satisfied that respect for human rights as defined in the Convention and the Protocols thereto does not require it to continue the examination of the applications (Article 37 § 1 in fine).
Finally, the Court emphasises that, should the Government fail to comply with the terms of their unilateral declaration, the applications may be restored to the list in accordance with Article 37 § 2 of the Convention (Josipović v. Serbia (dec.), no. 18369/07, 4 March 2008).
In view of the above, it is appropriate to strike the cases out of the list.
For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,
Decides to join the applications;
Takes note of the terms of the respondent Government’s declaration and of the arrangements for ensuring compliance with the undertakings referred to therein;
Decides to strike the applications out of its list of cases in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (c) of the Convention.
Done in English and notified in writing on 20 December 2018.
Liv TigerstedtAleš Pejchal
Acting Deputy RegistrarPresident
APPENDIX
No.
Application no.
Date of introduction
Applicant’s name
Date of birth / Date of demise
Representative’s name and location
Date of receipt of Government’s declaration
Date of receipt of applicant’s comments, if any
Amount awarded for non-pecuniary damage
per applicant unless indicated “jointly”
(in euros)[1]
Amount awarded for costs and expenses per application
(in euros)[2]
28800/03
01/08/2003
Angela RUBORTONE
01/10/1946
Crisci Lucio
Benevento
12/07/2018
14/09/2018
2,900
250
165/04
05/12/2003
Francesco SOMMARIVA
03/03/1932
died on 25/04/2016
Heirs:
Rosetta PIODA
02/05/1934
Anna Maria SOMMARIVA
11/09/1959
Giovanni SOMMARIVA
12/01/1964
Cipolla Federico
Turin
12/07/2018
07/09/2018
1,200
jointly to the heirs
Rosetta PIODA
02/05/1934
Anna Maria SOMMARIVA
11/09/1959
Giovanni SOMMARIVA
12/01/1964
250
1932/04
03/01/2003
Daniele CATALLO
29/10/1948
Forte Bruno
Sora
12/07/2018
-
1,100
250
11028/04
24/02/2004
Gianni De Falco S.r.l.
Faiella Giuseppe
Nocera Inferiore
12/07/2018
-
1,800
250
16510/04
26/04/2004
Fibos S.r.l.
Samori’ Gianpiero
Modena
12/07/2018
-
4,400
250
21174/04
05/05/2004
Luciana CERIELLO
25/03/1942
Troisi Michele
Salerne
12/07/2018
-
3,500
250
23138/04
14/06/2004
(3 applicants)
Dionisio ZOLLO
11/09/1943
Mario ZOLLO
11/02/1945
Mario LUCIANO
05/11/1941
Feleppa Agostino
Benevento
12/07/2018
-
2,500
250
25839/04
15/07/2004
Benito PADUANO
28/10/1937
Di Gioia Giulio
Telese Terme
12/07/2018
-
1,800
250
41034/04
13/01/1999
Marietta PROZZILLO
29/05/1914
died on 07/04/2016
Heir:
Santina PARLAPIANO
21/11/1947
De Nigris De Maria Sebastiano
Benevento
12/07/2018
-
500
250
20122/05
23/01/2001
Lidia MAROTTA
27/01/1965
Di Gioia Giulio
Telese Terme
12/07/2018
-
2,200
250
37674/05
10/10/2004
Giovanni RONCARI
24/06/1928
Piva Paolo
Venice
12/07/2018
05/09/2018
3,300
250
13105/06
03/04/2006
Francesco JANES CARRATÙ
02/01/1944
Janes Carratù Achille
Naples
12/07/2018
14/08/2018
1,300
250
21386/06
26/05/2006
Luigi PROIA
03/01/1961
Forte Bruno
Sora
12/07/2018
-
2,000
250
37502/06
08/09/2006
Fiorella BUFFOLINO
11/05/1971
Di Gioia Giulio
Telese Terme
12/07/2018
-
2,200
250
6322/07
01/02/2007
Evaristo CASTELLANI
13/04/1937
Zauli Carlo
Forlì
12/07/2018
-
200
250
4850/09
04/12/2008
(4 applicants)
Angioletta CUVA
22/01/1947
Maria Anna CUVA
10/07/1938
Olga CUVA
22/02/1940
Felicita CUVA
20/05/1943
12/07/2018
-
3,300
250
5392/10
15/12/2009
Luciano VITALE
28/01/1959
Roccaforte Mario
Taranto
12/07/2018
-
2,500
250
71803/10
17/11/2010
Luigi Rosario BRUNO
27/10/1952
Natale Elpidio
Parma
12/07/2018
12/09/2018
400
250
71804/10
17/11/2010
Luigi CORSANO
29/10/1946
Natale Elpidio
Parma
12/07/2018
12/09/2018
400
250
71805/10
17/11/2010
Maria Antonia MARTINA
02/02/1939
Natale Elpidio
Parma
12/07/2018
12/09/2018
400
250
71806/10
17/11/2010
Immacolata AMATO
13/01/1948
Natale Elpidio
Parma
12/07/2018
12/09/2018
400
250
71807/10
17/11/2010
Paolo MINNELLA
01/02/1954
Natale Elpidio
Parma
12/07/2018
12/09/2018
400
250
71808/10
17/11/2010
Antonio CACCIATORE
01/01/1945
Natale Elpidio
Parma
12/07/2018
12/09/2018
400
250
15551/11
19/01/2011
Vittoria NITTO
26/01/1962
Renna Alessandro
Oria
12/07/2018
-
3,200
250
77750/14
04/12/2014
Fulvio TORRE
20/09/1938
Sparagna Andrea
Scauri di Minturno
12/07/2018
04/09/2018
1,500
250
77845/14
11/12/2014
Mariagrazia CARUSO
21/08/1965
Caruso Mariagrazia
Catania
12/07/2018
27/08/2018
200
250
[1]. Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.
[2]. Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy