EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

FIRST CHAMBER

Application No. 25818/94

Alfred Baumann

against

Austria

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

(adopted on 1 July 1998)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

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 Alfred Baumann against Austria on 30 July 1993.  It was registered on 1 December 1994 under file No. 25818/94.

2. The applicant was represented by Mr. R. Böhmdorfer , a lawyer practising in Vienna.

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 10 September 1997 the Commission (First Chamber) declared the application admissible   insofar as it concerns the length of civil proceedings.  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 1 July 1998 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:

MM M.P. PELLONPÄÄ, President

N. BRATZA

E. BUSUTTIL

A. WEITZEL

Mrs J. LIDDY

MM L. LOUCAIDES

B. MARXER

B. CONFORTI

I. BÉKÉS

G. RESS

A. PERENIČ

C. BÃŽRSAN

K. HERNDL

M. VILA AMIGÓ

Mrs M. HION

Mr R. NICOLINI

PART I

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

7. The applicant, an Austrian citizen born in 1945 and residing in Vienna, complains under Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention about the length of the following proceedings.

8. On 4 December 1987, following his divorce, the applicant applied to the Döbling District Court ( Bezirksgericht ) for a partition of matrimonial property.  On 13 March 1989 the Döbling District Court decided on the applicant's request.  On 31 August 1989 the Vienna Regional Court ( Landesgericht ) quashed the District's Court's decision and referred the case back to the District Court.  On 29 January 1991 the Supreme Court ( Oberster Gerichtshof ) dismissed the appeals on points of law.  On 24 July 1991 the District Court decided again on the applicant's request. On 18 March 1992 the Regional Court quashed this decision and referred the case back to the District Court.  On 23 October 1992 the District Court issued a partial decision.  On 10 March 1993 the Vienna Regional Civil Court quashed the District Court's partial decision.  On 12 August 1994 the Döbling District Court again issued a partial decision.  On 22 February 1995 the Vienna Regional Civil Court dismissed the applicant's appeal and on 20 September 1995 the Supreme Court rejected the applicant's further appeal on point of law.  Proceedings on matters not covered by the partial decision are still pending.

PART II

SOLUTION REACHED

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. By letter of 20 January 1998 and 17 April 1998 respectively, the parties submitted the following agreement reached between them:

"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. 25818/94, lodged by the applicant Alfred Baumann , 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 of ATS 135,000 as compensation in respect of any possible claims relating to the present application. This sum includes ATS 15,000 in respect of counsel's fees and expenses incurred in the proceedings before the Commission.

This sum will be transferred to the applicant's representative Mr. D. Böhmdorfer in Vienna.

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."

" Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung

In der Beschwerdesache Nr . 25818/94 des Herrn Alfred BAUMANN einigen sich die Parteien unter Bezugnahme auf Artikel 28 Abs . 1 lit. b der Europäischen Konvention zum Schutz 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 ATS 135,000. Dieser Betrag beinhaltet einen Betrag von ATS 15.000 hinsichtlich der Gebühren und Auslagen , die im Rahmen des Verfahrens vor der Kommission entstanden sind .

Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten des Beschwerdeführers , Herrn Rechtsanwalt Dr. Dieter Böhmdorfer , 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 zugrundeliegendem Sachverhalt ."

12. At its session on 1 July 1998, 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.

13. For these reasons, the Commission adopted the present Report.

       M.F. BUQUICCHIO    M.P. PELLONPÄÄ

          Secretary President

     to the First Chamber of the First Chamber