22579/13;42761/13;45466/13;45595/13;48528/13;62541/13;63911/13

FOURTH SECTION             CASE OF NAVIGÁCIÓ SZÖVETKEZET AND OTHERS v. HUNGARY (Application no. 22579/13 and 6 others - see appended list)               JUDGMENT               STRASBOURG   15 November 2018       This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision. In the case of Navigáció Szövetkezet and Others v. Hungary, The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:  Georges Ravarani, President,  Marko Bošnjak,  Péter Paczolay, judges, and Liv Tigerstedt Acting Deputy Section Registrar, Having deliberated in private on 25 October 2018, Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date: PROCEDURE 1.  The case originated in applications against Hungary lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on the various dates indicated in the appended table. 2.  Notice of the applications was given to the Hungarian Government (“the Government”). THE FACTS 3.  The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table. 4.  The applicants complained of the excessive length of civil proceedings. Some applicants also raised a complaint under Article 13 of the Convention (see appended table). THE LAW I.  JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS 5.  Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment. II.  ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION 6.  The applicants complained principally that the length of the civil proceedings in question had been incompatible with the “reasonable time” requirement. They relied on Article 6 § 1 of the Convention, which reads as follows: Article 6 § 1 “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations ... everyone is entitled to a ... hearing within a reasonable time by [a] ... tribunal ...” 7.  The Court reiterates that the reasonableness of the length of proceedings must be assessed in the light of the circumstances of the case and with reference to the following criteria: the complexity of the case, the conduct of the applicants and the relevant authorities and what was at stake for the applicants in the dispute (see Frydlender v. France [GC], no. 30979/96, § 43, ECHR 2000-VII). 8.  In the leading case of Gazsó v. Hungary (no. 48322/12, 16 July 2015) the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case. 9.  Having examined all the material submitted to it, the Court has not found any fact or argument capable of persuading it to reach a different conclusion on the admissibility and merits of these complaints. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the length of the proceedings was excessive and failed to meet the “reasonable time” requirement. 10.  These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention. III.  OTHER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS UNDER WELL-ESTABLISHED CASE-LAW 11.  Some applicants submitted another complaint under Article 13 of the Convention which also raised issues under the Convention, given the relevant well-established case-law of the Court (see appended table). This complaint is not manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of Article 35 § 3 (a) of the Convention, nor is it inadmissible on any other ground. Accordingly, it must be declared admissible. Having examined all the material before it, the Court concludes that it also discloses a violation of Article 13 of the Convention in the light of its findings in Gazsó v. Hungary (cited above, § 21). IV.  APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION 12.  Article 41 of the Convention provides: “If the Court finds that there has been a violation of the Convention or the Protocols thereto, and if the internal law of the High Contracting Party concerned allows only partial reparation to be made, the Court shall, if necessary, afford just satisfaction to the injured party.” 13.  Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case‑law, the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table. 14.  The Court considers it appropriate that the default interest rate should be based on the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank, to which should be added three percentage points. FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY, 1.  Decides to join the applications;   2.  Declares the applications admissible;   3.  Holds that these applications disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention concerning the excessive length of civil proceedings;   4.  Holds that there has been a violation of Article 13 of the Convention (see appended table);   5.  Holds (a)  that the respondent State is to pay the applicants, within three months, the amounts indicated in the appended table, to be converted into the currency of the respondent State at the rate applicable at the date of settlement; (b)  that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amounts at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points. Done in English, and notified in writing on 15 November 2018, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.  Liv Tigerstedt Georges Ravarani Acting Deputy Registrar President APPENDIX List of applications raising complaints under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention (excessive length of civil proceedings) No. Application no. Date of introduction Applicant’s name Date of birth   Representative’s name and location Start of proceedings End of proceedings Total length Levels of jurisdiction Other complaints under well-established case-law Amount awarded for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per applicant /household (in euros)[1]     22579/13 25/03/2013 Navigáció Szövetkezet   Dániel KŐSZEGI 21/10/1957 Szeiler Erika Budapest 15/07/2005   06/11/2012   7 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 23 day(s) 2 level(s) of jurisdiction   Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings - 3,000     42761/13 10/06/2013 Orsolya Szigeti 17/06/1997 Rimai Éva Magyarföld 12/12/2008   15/11/2012   3 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 4 day(s) 2 level(s) of jurisdiction   1,600     45466/13 09/07/2013 (5 applicants) László Horváth 21/01/1955 András KÁZMÉR 22/03/1944 Andrásné KRAUTER 13/05/1940 Ignácné SZABÓ 20/04/1944 Klára SASVÁRINÉ KÁZMÉR 22/09/1935         Kiss Dániel Bálint Budapest 12/06/2009   26/06/2014   5 year(s) and 15 day(s) 2 level(s) of jurisdiction   Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings - 2,000     45595/13 11/07/2013 (9 applicants) Jenő Gyuláné Budai 26/04/1958 Mihaly FARNADI 25/09/1947 András FÜLEKI 19/06/1946 Andrásné FÜRI 24/01/1967 László HOMOLA 22/03/1959 Erzsébet HUSZTINÉ FÜLEKI 19/06/1946 Radojánné NÉCZIN 29/07/1935 Sándorné PÁNCZÉL 17/05/1966 Lászlóné SIMON 14/01/1943 Kiss Dániel Bálint Budapest 11/11/2009   14/10/2013   3 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 4 day(s) 1 level(s) of jurisdiction   Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings - 2,000     48528/13 27/07/2013 (3 applicants) Household Katalin Kótai 09/03/1975 Géza Dombi 16/01/1974 Géza Dombi 11/03/1991   Nikházy László Miskolc 31/03/2009   02/01/2013   3 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 3 day(s) 2 level(s) of jurisdiction   Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings - 1,600     62541/13 01/10/2013 T.R. 13/08/1962     15/02/2005   16/07/2015   10 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 2 day(s) 3 level(s) of jurisdiction       5,200     63911/13 27/09/2013  Mughetto Kft   Maklary Zoltan Budapest 23/09/2008   12/06/2013   4 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 21 day(s) 2 level(s) of jurisdiction   Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law in respect of excessive length of civil proceedings - 2,000   [1].  Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.