CEDH · PRESS;GENERAL;ENG — 14 octobre 2003

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .s5FFF0A77 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:1pt } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s94935B0F { width:389.85pt; display:inline-block } .sCB9E0544 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:left } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s61E420C2 { font-family:Arial; font-variant:small-caps } .s69BE285C { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:85.05pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-85.05pt } .s18D96D33 { width:15.69pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .s32AFAD20 { width:26.35pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .s9F8EB0C0 { width:18.63pt; display:inline-block } .s9E97F54A { width:85.05pt; display:inline-block } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic }   EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS     494   14.10.2003   Press release issued by the Registrar   CHAMBER HEARING ON THE MERITS IN THE CASE OF BRUNCRONA AND OTHERS v. FINLAND   Tuesday 14 October 2003 at 9.30 a.m.   The applicants   The case concerns an application (no. 41673/98) brought by the heirs of the late Olof Bruncrona, in particular Marcus and Petter Bruncrona, Finnish nationals who were born in 1964 and 1967 and live in Helsinki (Finland).   Summary of the facts   From the 18th century the Bruncrona family had made use of a vast island and surrounding water area, in respect of which they had paid property tax. That situation lasted until 1984, when the National Forestry Board granted fishing rights to a third party without their consent. In 1985 Olof Bruncrona unsuccessfully applied to the courts for confirmation of his full ownership of the property. After the State was registered as the rightful owner, Mr Bruncrona brought a further application for confirmation of his right of permanent use. Those proceedings, which ended in 1997, were likewise unsuccessful. Meanwhile, following Olof Bruncrona’s death in 1993, his heirs were charged inheritance tax in respect of the property and they were required to pay wealth tax on it.   Complaint   The applicants complain of a violation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) to the European Convention on Human Rights.   Procedure   The application was lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 5 May 1998 and transmitted to the Court on 1 November 1998. It was declared admissible on 4 March 2003.   Composition of the Court   The case will be heard by a Chamber composed as follows:   Nicolas Bratza (British), President , Matti Pellonpää (Finnish), Marc Fischbach (Luxemburger), Rait Maruste (Estonian), Stanislav Pavlovschi (Moldovan), Lech Garlicki (Polish), Javier Borrego Borrego (Spanish), judges , Viera Strážnická (Slovakian) , Josep Casadevall (Andorran) , Elisabet Fura-Sandström (Swedish) , substitute judges , and also Françoise Elen-Passos , Section deputy registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government:   Arto Kosonen , agent , Marjut Jokela , Marketta Rosti , Päivi Rotola-Pukkila , Virpi Koivu , a dvisers ;   Applicants:   Henrik Mattson , counsel .   Marcus Bruncrona will also attend the hearing.   After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private. Judgment will be delivered at a later date.   Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Press contacts:   Roderick Liddell (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 24 92)   Emma Hellyer (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 90 21 42 15)   Stéphanie Klein (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 21 54) Fax: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 27 91   The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. Since 1 November 1998 it has sat as a full-time Court composed of an equal number of judges to that of the States party to the Convention. The Court examines the admissibility and merits of applications submitted to it. It sits in Chambers of 7 judges or, in exceptional cases, as a Grand Chamber of 17 judges. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe supervises the execution of the Court’s judgments. More detailed information about the Court and its activities can be found on its Internet site.