AUTRONIC AG CASE
Doc ref: 12726/87 • ECHR ID: 001-55514
Document date: October 18, 1991
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The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of
Article 54 (art. 54) of the Convention for the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (hereinafter referred to
as "the Convention"),
Having regard to the judgment of the European Court of
Human Rights in the Autronic AG case delivered on 22 May 1990 and
transmitted the same day to the Committee of Ministers;
Recalling that the case originated in an application
against Switzerland lodged with the European Commission of Human
Rights on 9 January 1987 under Article 25 (art. 25) of the
Convention by a Swiss company, Autronic AG, which complained of
the refusal by the Swiss authorities to authorise the company to
receive by means of a private dish aerial uncoded television
programmes from a Soviet telecommunications satellite;
Recalling that the case was brought before the Court by
the Commission on 12 April 1989 and by the Government of
Switzerland on 6 July 1989;
Whereas in its judgment of 22 May 1990 the Court:
- held by sixteen votes to two that Article 10 (art. 10)
applied and that there had been a breach of it;
- held unanimously that Switzerland was to pay the
applicant company 25 000 Swiss francs costs and expenses;
- dismissed unanimously the remainder of the claim for just
satisfaction;
Having regard to the Rules adopted by the Committee of
Ministers concerning the application of Article 54 (art. 54) of
the Convention;
Having invited the Government of Switzerland to inform
it of the measures which had been taken in consequence of the
judgment of 22 May 1990, having regard to its obligation under
Article 53 (art. 53) of the Convention to abide by it;
Whereas, during the examination of this case by the
Committee of Ministers, the Government of Switzerland gave the
Committee information about the measures taken in consequence of
the judgment, which information appears in the appendix to this
resolution;
Having satisfied itself that the Government of
Switzerland has paid the applicant company the sum provided for
in the judgment,
Declares, after having taken note of the information
supplied by the Government of Switzerland, that it has exercised
its functions under Article 54 (art. 54) of the Convention in
this case.
Appendix to Resolution DH (91) 26
Information provided by the Government of Switzerland
during the examination of the Autronic AG case
before the Committee of Ministers
Ordinance No. 1 relating to the Federal Act of
14 October 1922 regulating telegraph and telephone communications
was amended on 21 December 1990. The amended ordinance came into
force retroactively on 23 May 1990, in other words the day
following delivery of the Court's judgment.
According to Section 78, sub-paragraphs 1.a and f of the
amended Ordinance, the community antenna licence entitles the
holder to:
"a. receive and rebroadcast, through the local distribution
network defined in the licence, radio and television programmes
which comply with the provisions of the International
Telecommunication Convention of 6 November 1982, of the
International Radio Regulations, of the conventions and
agreements concluded within the International Telecommunication
Union and of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television
of 5 May 1989;"
"f. retransmit, on the authorisation of the department, by
virtue of Section 28 of the Federal Decree of 18 December 1987
on satellite broadcasting, radio and television programmes
retransmitted by satellite under a foreign licence."
Section 106 concerning the content of the broadcasting
licence III entitles the holder to:
"a. receive and retransmit television programmes received from
foreign transmitters that comply with the provisions of the
International Telecommunication Convention of 6 November 1982,
of the International Radio Regulations, of the conventions and
agreements concluded within the International Telecommunication
Union and of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television
of 5 May 1989;
b. retransmit, on the authorisation of the department, by
virtue of Section 28 of the Federal Decree of 18 December 1987
on satellite broadcasting, television programmes retransmitted
by satellite under a foreign licence."
The sum awarded by the Court to the applicant company was
paid on 25 June 1990.
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