Lexploria

EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

SECOND CHAMBER

Application No. 18273/91

Estate of Johanna GEYER

against

Austria

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

(adopted on 6 September 1995)

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 the Estate of Johanna Geyer against

Austria on 17 May 1991. It was registered on 28 May 1991 under file

No. 18273/91.

The applicant estate was represented by Mr. K. Meingast, a lawyer

practising in Gmundes (Austria).

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.

2. On 13 October 1993 the Commission (Second Chamber) decided to

adjourn its examination of the applicant estate's complaint under

Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention relating to the length of the

enforcement proceedings and the complaint under Article 1 para. 1 of

Protocol No. 1 that its right to property was violated and declared

inadmissible the remainder of the application. On 17 January 1995 the

Commission (Second Chamber) declared admissible the remaining

complaints. 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 (Second Chamber) found that the parties had

reached a friendly settlement of the case and on 6 September 1995 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:

Mr. H. DANELIUS, President

Mrs. G.H. THUNE

MM. G. JÖRUNDSSON

J.-C. SOYER

H.G. SCHERMERS

F. MARTINEZ

L. LOUCAIDES

J.-C. GEUS

M.A. NOWICKI

I. CABRAL BARRETO

J. MUCHA

D. SVÁBY

P. LORENZEN

PART I

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

4. The application was introduced by the estate of Mrs. Johanna

Geyer. Mrs. Geyer, born in 1914, was an Austrian national who died in

1991. She resided in Steyrermühl (Austria).

5. On 28 June 1974 the Upper Austria Regional Governor

(Landeshauptmann) expropriated land owned by Mrs. Geyer and her

husband, who died on 25 May 1987, for the purpose of constructing a new

road. On 18 November 1974 the Federal Minister for Construction and

Technique (Bundesminister für Bauten und Technik) dismissed

Mrs. Geyer's and her husband's appeal against the expropriation order.

6. On 4 December 1985 the District Administrative Authority issued

an enforcement order against Mrs. Geyer instructing her to transfer

possession of the land to the Federal Roads Administration

(Bundesstraßenverwaltung). On 23 January 1986 the Regional Governor

dismissed Mrs. Geyer's appeal. On 12 February 1986 the Federal Roads

Administration took possession of Mrs. Geyer's and her husband's land.

On 10 March 1986 Mrs. Geyer lodged a complaint with the Administrative

Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) and requested it to grant suspensive

effect to her complaint. On 21 August 1986 the Administrative Court

decided not to grant suspensive effect to the complaint. On

19 October 1990 the Administrative Court quashed the Regional

Governor's decision of 23 January 1986, finding that the expropriation

order was not sufficiently clear and that enforcement proceedings

relying on such a decision were inadmissible. On 3 December 1990 the

Regional Governor quashed the District Administrative Authority's

enforcement order.

7. Between 1985 and 1989 Mrs. Geyer unsuccessfully conducted

proceedings for retransfer of property over the expropriated land.

PART II

SOLUTION REACHED

8. Following the decision on the admissibility of the application,

the Commission 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.

9. 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.

10. By letter of 6 June 1995 the parties submitted the following

agreement reached between them:

11. "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. 18273/91,

lodged by the Estate of Johanna GEYER, 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 estate a sum of altogether AS 170,000 as compensation

in respect of any possible claims relating to the present

application. This sum includes AS 10,000 in respect of counsel's

fees and expenses incurred in the proceedings before the

Commission as well as AS 10,000 in respect of counsel's fees and

expenses incurred in the domestic proceedings.

This amount will be paid to the applicant estate's representative

Mr. Konrad Meingast in Gmunden.

2. The applicant estate declares its application settled.

3. The applicant estate waives any further claims against the

Republic of Austria relating to the present application."

"Erklärungen der Parteien zur gütlichen Regelung

In der Beschwerdesache Nr. 18273/91 der Verlassenschaft nach

Johanna GEYER 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 170,000.

Dieser Betrag umfaßt öS 10,000 hinsichtlich der Gebühren und

Auslagen, die im Rahmen des Verfahrens vor der Kommission

entstanden sind sowie öS 10,000 hinsichtlich Gebühren und

Auslagen, die im Rahmen des innerstaatlichen Verfahrens

entstanden sind.

Dieser Betrag wird an den Verfahrensbevollmächtigten des

Beschwerdeführers Herrn Rechtsanwalt Dr. Konrad Meingast in

Gmunden 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."

12. At its session on 6 September 1995, the Commission noted that the

parties had reached an agreement regarding the terms of a settlement.

If 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 this Report.

Secretary to the Second Chamber President of the Second Chamber

(M.-T. SCHOEPFER) (H. DANELIUS)

Menu

GEYER v. AUSTRIA

GEYER v. AUSTRIA

LEXI