Information Note on the Court’s case-law 16

March 2000

Gergouil v. France - 40111/98

Judgment 21.3.2000 [Section III]

Article 6

Civil proceedings

Article 6-1

Reasonable time

Length of proceedings in the labour courts: violation

The case concerns the length of proceedings brought by the applicant in October 1993 in respect of an employment dispute. The proceedings ended in January 1998 when the Court of Cassatio n rejected the applicant's appeal. They therefore lasted 4 years, 2 months and 24 days.

Law : The Court noted that the Court of Cassation stage lasted 2 years, 2 months and one day, which it considered rather long. However, apart from this shortcoming in th e speediness of the proceedings, the Court did not see any significant period of inactivity attributable to the national authorities. Having regard to the global length of the proceedings, it considered that the authorities had shown the necessary diligenc e.

Conclusion : no violation (5 votes to 2).

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

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