CEDH · CASELAW;REPORTS;ENG — 9 décembre 1997

.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 }                    EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS                            FIRST CHAMBER                      Application No. 22413/93                                A.G.                               against                               Austria                      REPORT OF THE COMMISSION                    (adopted on 9 December 1997)                          TABLE OF CONTENTS   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 Mr A.G. against Austria on 7 May 1993.   It was registered on 4 August 1993 under file No. 22413/93.   2.    The applicant was initially represented by Mr L. Kaltenbäck, a lawyer practising in Graz and is now represented by Mrs E. Simma, a lawyer practising in Graz.   3.    The Government of Austria were represented by their Agent, Mr F. Cede, Ambassador, Head of the International Law Department at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   4.    On 27 February 1997 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."   5.    The Commission (First Chamber) found that the parties had reached a friendly settlement of the case and on 9 December 1997 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.   6.    The following members were present when the Report was adopted:             Mrs   J. LIDDY, President           MM    M.P. PELLONPÄÄ                E. BUSUTTIL                A. WEITZEL                C.L. ROZAKIS                L. LOUCAIDES                B. CONFORTI                N. BRATZA                I. BÉKÉS                G. RESS                A. PERENIC                C. BÎRSAN                K. HERNDL                M. VILA AMIGÓ           Mrs   M. HION           Mr    R. NICOLINI                               PART I                       STATEMENT OF THE FACTS   7.    The applicant is an Austrian citizen, born in 1928.   He is a former politician and was, inter alia, Mayor (Bürgermeister) of a larger Austrian city.   He complains under Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention about the length of the following proceedings.   8.    In 1983 the applicant retired as Mayor and was granted a pension as former Mayor.   In April 1985 his pension rights were reduced, following the introduction of new legislation, on the ground that he continued to draw a salary as civil servant.   As appeal proceedings remained unsuccessful, he filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof).   In March 1987 the Constitutional Court repealed as being unconstitutional the provision on which the reduction of the applicant's pension claim was based and quashed the decision reducing his pension.   9.    On the basis of a Federal Constitutional Act of June 1987 permitting legislation reducing pension claims of former politicians, new legislation reducing pension claims of former politicians was introduced and in May 1988 the authorities upheld the reduction of the applicant's pension claim.   Thereupon the applicant, in June 1988, lodged a further complaint with the Constitutional Court. In March 1990 the Constitutional Court repealed a procedural provision which was applied when adopting the new legislation and quashed the decision reducing the applicant's pension claim.   10.   In May 1991 the reduction of the applicant's pension claim was upheld by the authorities for the third time and he lodged a further complaint with the Constitutional Court.   In September 1992 the Constitutional Court refused to entertain this complaint and remitted the case to the Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof). In September 1996 the Administrative Court applied to the Constitutional Court for review of the constitutionality of the provision allowing for the reduction of the applicant's pension claim.   11.   In November 1996 the Constitutional Court instituted proceedings for the review of the constitutionality of the provisions attacked by the Administrative Court.   The case is still pending.                               PART II                          SOLUTION REACHED   12.   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.   13.   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.   14.   By letter of 1 September 1997 and 26 November 1997 respectively, the parties submitted the following agreement reached between them:        <translation>        "Statements of the parties with a view to 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. 22413/93, lodged by Mr A.G., declare with a view to a friendly settlement, reached with the 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 of altogether AS 95,000 as compensation in      respect of any possible claims relating to the present      application.   This sum includes AS 15,000 in respect of counsel's      fees and expenses incurred in the proceedings before the      Commission.        This amount will be paid to the applicant's bank account ...        2.    The applicant declares his application settled.        3.    The applicant waives any further claims against the      Republic of Austria relating to the facts underlying the present      application insofar the application has been declared admissible      by the Commission in its Decision of 27 February 1977."        <German>        "Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung        In der Beschwerdesache Nr. 22413/93 des Herrn A.G. einigen sich die Parteien unter Bezugnahme auf Artikel 28 Abs. 1 lit. 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 Beschwerde einen Gesamtbetrag von öS 95 000.      Dieser Betrag umfaßt öS 15 000 hinsichtlich der Gebühren und      Auslagen, die im Rahmen des Verfahrens vor der Kommission      entstanden sind.             Dieser Betrag wird an den Beschwerdeführer ... 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, insoweit diese von der Kommission in Ihrer      Entscheidung vom 27. Februar 1997 für zulässig erklärt wurde."   15.   At its session on 9 December 1997, 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.   16.   For these reasons, the Commission adopted the present Report.        M.F. BUQUICCHIO                          J. LIDDY         Secretary                             President    to the First Chamber                  of the First Chamber