RESOLUTION DH (98) 66

HUMAN RIGHTS

APPLICATION No. 21244/93

G. H. AGAINST FRANCE

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 22 April 1998

at the 626th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 32 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”),

Having regard to the report drawn up on 18 October 1995 by the European Commission of Human Rights in accordance with Article 31 of the Convention relating to the application lodged on 22 April 1992 by a French national, Ms G. H., against France;

Whereas on 28 November 1995 the Commission transmitted the said report to the Committee of Ministers and whereas the period of three months provided for in Article 32, paragraph 1, of the Convention has elapsed without the case having been brought before the European Court of Human Rights in pursuance of Article 48 of the Convention;

Whereas in her application, as declared admissible by the Commission on 22 February 1995, the applicant complained of the excessive length of certain civil proceedings;

Whereas in its report the Commission expressed, by eleven votes to one, the opinion that there had been a violation of Article 6, paragraph 1, of the Convention;

Whereas, at the 564th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies, the Committee of Ministers, having voted in accordance with the provisions of Article 32, paragraph 1, of the Convention and agreed with the opinion expressed by the Commission, held, by a decision adopted on 15 May 1996, that there had been in this case a violation of Article 6, paragraph 1, of the Convention;

Whereas the Committee of Ministers examined the proposals made by the Commission when transmitting its report as regards just satisfaction to be awarded to the applicant, proposals supplemented by a letter of the President of the Commission dated 19 April 1996;

Whereas, at the 567th meeting of the Deputies, the Committee of Ministers, agreeing with the Commission’s proposals, held, by a decision adopted on 25 June 1996, in accordance with Article 32, paragraph 2, of the Convention, that the Government of the respondent State was to pay the applicant as just satisfaction, within three months, 35 000 French francs in respect of non-pecuniary damage and 5 000 French francs in respect of costs and expenses, namely a total sum of 40 000 French francs and that interest should be payable on any unpaid sum, calculated on the basis of each full elapsed month of delay (in accordance with the decision adopted by the Committee of Ministers at its 599th meeting (17 September 1997) on the general principles regarding the payment of default interest) at the statutory rate applicable on the date of this decision, it being understood that the interest would accrue from the expiry of the time-limit until full payment was placed at the disposal of the applicant;

Whereas the Committee of Ministers invited the Government of the respondent State to inform it of the measures taken following its decisions of 15 May and 25 June 1996, having regard to France’s obligation under Article 32, paragraph 4, of the Convention to abide by them;

Whereas, during the examination of the case by the Committee of Ministers, the Government of the respondent State accordingly indicated that the Commission’s report as well as the Committee of Ministers’ decisions had been sent out to the authorities directly concerned;

Whereas the Committee of Ministers noted that on 22 November 1996, the Government of the respondent State paid the applicant the total sum of 40 000 French francs as just satisfaction, i.e. with a delay of more than one month and thus default interest was due in accordance with the above-mentioned decisions of the Committee of Ministers concerning the modalities of default interest payment;

Whereas the Committee of Ministers satisfied itself that on 20 January 1998, the Government of the respondent State paid the applicant the default interest due,

Declares, having taken note of the measures taken by the Government of France, that it has exercised its functions under Article 32 of the Convention in this case;

Authorises the publication of the report adopted by the Commission in this case.