CEDH · CASELAW;REPORTS;ENG — 8 avril 1992

.sDD6737AE { font-size:11pt } .s211D6B00 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:normal; widows:0; orphans:0; font-size:8.5pt } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s76CF415B { page-break-before:always; clear:both }                      EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS                               FIRST CHAMBER                          Application No. 14974/89                                     H.                                   against                                   AUSTRIA                          REPORT OF THE COMMISSION                          (adopted on 8 April 1992)                              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 H. against Austria on 21 March 1989. It was registered on 4 May 1989 under file No. 14974/89.         The applicant was represented by Mr. K. Bernhauser, 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 10 September 1991 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 found that the parties had reached a friendly settlement of the case and on 8 April 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.         The following members were present when the Report was adopted:                    MM.   J.A. FROWEIN, President of the First Chamber                  F. ERMACORA                  E. BUSUTTIL                  A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK            Sir    Basil HALL            Mr.    C.L. ROZAKIS            Mrs.   J. LIDDY            MM.    M. PELLONPÄÄ                  B. MARXER                                   PART I                             STATEMENT OF THE FACTS     4.     The applicant, born in 1939, is an Austrian national and resident in Vienna.   5.     The applicant complained under Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention about the length of criminal proceedings under the Austrian Code of Criminal Offences.   In 1981 the applicant had been heard as suspect on the charges of tax evasion as regards the import of a car in 1979.   The proceedings were discontinued in 1989.                                 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 17 and 19 March 1992 the Agent of the Government submitted the following agreement reached between the applicant and the Government in March 1992:   <Translation>       "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. 14974/88, lodged by Mr. <H.>, 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       applicant a sum amounting to altogether AS 80,000 as compensation       in respect of any possible claims relating to the present       application.   This sum includes AS 20,000 in respect of counsel's       fees and expenses incurred in the proceedings before the       Commission.         This amount will be paid to the applicant's representative       Mr. K. Bernhauser 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. 14974/89 des Herrn <H.> 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 etwaige Ansprüche im Zusammenhang mit       der vorliegenden Individualbeschwerde einen Gesamtbetrag von       AS 80,000.   Dieser Betrag umfaßt AS 20,000 hinsichtlich der       Gebühren und Auslagen, die im Rahmen des Verfahren vor der       Kommission entstanden sind.         Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten des       Beschwerdeführers Herrn K. Bernhauser 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."   9.     At its session on 8 April 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.   10.    For these reasons, the Commission adopted this Report.       Secretary to the First Chamber     President of the First Chamber                (M. de SALVIA)                      (J.A. FROWEIN)