CASE OF GRANDE AND OTHERS v. ITALY
Doc ref: 27963/95 • ECHR ID: 001-104
Document date: January 15, 1997
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In the case of Grande and Others v. Italy (1),
The Screening Panel of the European Court of Human Rights,
constituted in accordance with Article 48 para. 2 (art. 48-2) of the
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
("the Convention") and Rule 26 of Rules of Court B (2),
_______________
Notes by the Registrar
1. The case is numbered 111/1996/730/927. The first number is the
case's position on the list of cases referred to the Court in the
relevant year (second number). The last two numbers indicate the
case's position on the list of cases referred to the Court since its
creation and on the list of the corresponding originating applications
to the Commission.
2. Rules of Court B, which came into force on 2 October 1994, apply
to all cases concerning the States bound by Protocol No. 9 (P9).
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Sitting in private at Strasbourg on 25 November 1996, and
composed of the following judges:
Mr A. Spielmann, Chairman,
Mr C. Russo,
Mr J. De Meyer,
and also of Mr H. Petzold, Registrar,
Having regard to the application against the Italian Republic
lodged with the Court on 6 September 1996 by eight Italian nationals,
Mr Goffredo Grande, Mrs Elisa Di Gregorio, Mr Francesco Grande,
Mr Umberto Grande, Mr Giovanni Grande, Mrs Artriana Giuliani,
Mrs Silvana Giuliani and Mrs Ivana Grande, within the
three-month period laid down by Article 32 para. 1 and Article 47 of
the Convention (art. 32-1, art. 47);
Whereas Italy has recognised the compulsory jurisdiction of the
Court (Article 46 of the Convention (art. 46)) and ratified
Protocol No. 9 to the Convention (P9), Article 5 (P9-5) of which amends
Article 48 of the Convention (art. 48) so as to enable a person,
non-governmental organisation or group of individuals having lodged a
complaint with the European Commission of Human Rights
("the Commission") to refer the case to the Court;
Noting that the present case has not been referred to the Court
by either the Government of the respondent State or the Commission
under Article 48 para. 1 (a) or (d) of the Convention (art. 48-1-a,
art. 48-1-d);
Having regard to the Commission's report of 2 July 1996 on the
application (no. 27963/95) lodged with the Commission by the applicants
on 14 May 1994;
Whereas the applicants complained of the length of two sets of
proceedings in the Italian criminal and civil courts, to which they
were parties, and alleged a breach of Article 6 para. 1 of the
Convention (art. 6-1), under which "In the determination of his
civil rights and obligations ..., everyone is entitled to a ... hearing
within a reasonable time by [a] ... tribunal ...";
Whereas the applicants, in specifying the object of their
application, as required by Rule 34 para. 1 (a) of Rules of Court B,
(a) requested the Court to hold that there had been a breach of
Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention (art. 6-1) and to award them just
satisfaction under Article 50 (art. 50), namely compensation for all
the damage they had allegedly sustained and reimbursement of the costs
incurred before the Convention institutions, and (b) stated that they
sought a decision by the Court because in Italy failure to respect the
right to a hearing within a reasonable time was a serious problem which
would be aggravated if the Court did not adopt a series of decisions
against the Italian Republic;
Whereas, in addition, the applicants argued that the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe was a political body
which, given its composition and procedure, was incapable of performing
an intrinsically judicial function such as the task of determining
whether or not there had been a breach of the Convention in a given
case;
Having regard to Article 48 of the Convention (art. 48) and
Rule 34 paras. 1 (a), 3 and 4 of Rules of Court B,
1. Notes that under Article 32 of the Convention (art. 32) the
Committee of Ministers has jurisdiction to decide if necessary
whether there has been a breach of the Convention;
2. Emphasises that under Protocol No. 9 to the Convention (P9)
that jurisdiction is excluded only where the Screening Panel
decides to entertain an application for consideration by the
Court;
3. Finds that
(a) the case raises no serious question affecting the
interpretation or application of the Convention, as the
Court has already established case-law on the "reasonable
time" requirement in Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention
(art. 6-1); and
(b) the case does not, for any other reason, warrant
consideration by the Court as, in the event of a finding
that there has been a breach of the Convention, the
Committee of Ministers can award the applicants just
satisfaction, having regard to any proposals made by the
Commission;
4. Decides, therefore, unanimously, that the case will not be
considered by the Court.
Done in English and in French, and notified in writing on
15 January 1997 pursuant to Rule 34 para. 4 of Rules of Court B.
Signed: Alphonse SPIELMANN
Chairman
Signed: Herbert PETZOLD
Registrar
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