Information Note on the Court’s case-law 17

April 2000

S.A.GE.MA S.N.C. v. Italy - 40184/98

Judgment 27.4.2000 [Section II]

Article 6

Civil proceedings

Article 6-1

Reasonable time

Length of civil proceedings following the finding of a violation due to the length: violation

The case concerns the length of proceedings. In an earlier application to the European Commission of Human Rights (no. 23473/94), the Commissi on had already found a violation of Article 6 because the applicant had not had its case examined within a reasonable time. The present application therefore concerns primarily the period after 17 January 1995. The proceedings therefore lasted 2 years and 6 months, for two levels of jurisdiction. While this period does not appear excessive in itself, it follows a rather long overall period which had already been found to constitute a violation.

Conclusion : violation (6 votes to 1).

Article 41 - The Court aw arded the applicant 6 million lire (ITL) in respect of non-pecuniary damage.

© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.

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