31577/17;54474/18;59003/18;1305/19;2219/19

FOURTH SECTION CASE OF DOTENERGO ZRT. AND OTHERS v. HUNGARY (Applications nos. 31577/17 and 4 others - see appended list)             JUDGMENT   STRASBOURG 17 October 2019     This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.   In the case of Dotenergo Zrt. and Others v. Hungary, The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:  Stéphanie Mourou-Vikström, President,  Georges Ravarani,  Jolien Schukking, judges, and Liv Tigerstedt, Acting Deputy Section Registrar, Having deliberated in private on 26 September 2019, 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.  The Hungarian Government (“the Government”) were given notice of the applications. 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. In applications nos. 54474/18 and 2219/19, the applicants also raised another complaint under Article 13 of the Convention. THE LAW  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. 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. OTHER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS UNDER WELL-ESTABLISHED CASE-LAW 11.  In applications nos. 54474/18 and 2219/19, the applicants submitted another complaint which also raised issues under Article 13 of 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 the Convention in the light of its findings in Gazsó (cited above, § 21). 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, Decides to join the applications; Declares the applications admissible; Holds that these applications disclose a breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention concerning the excessive length of civil proceedings; Holds that in applications nos. 54474/18 and 2219/19 there has been a violation of Article 13 of the Convention as regards the other complaint raised under the well-established case-law of the Court (see appended table); 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 17 October 2019, pursuant to Rule 77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.  Liv Tigerstedt Stéphanie Mourou-Vikström 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 (in euros)[1]     31577/17 19/04/2017 Dotenergo Zrt.   Horváth György Budapest 19/10/2012   24/10/2016   4 year(s) and 6 day(s) 2 level(s) of jurisdiction     1,600     54474/18 16/11/2018 Krisztina Homoki 21/08/1989 Karsai Dániel András Budapest 14/08/2007   19/03/2019   11 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 6 day(s) 4 level(s) of jurisdiction   Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law against the protraction of the civil proceedings. 3,900     59003/18 29/11/2018 Katalin Czingula 22/12/1970 Madari Tibor Budapest 08/07/2011   12/06/2018   6 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 5 day(s) 3 level(s) of jurisdiction     1,400     1305/19 02/01/2019 Ilona Szentey 22/05/1942 Tóth Emese Budapest 05/01/2005   03/08/2018   13 year(s) and 7 month(s) 2 level(s) of jurisdiction     8,200     2219/19 18/12/2018 Mihályné Balla 23/11/1935 Kiss Dániel Bálint Budapest 31/08/2011   28/02/2019   7 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 1 day(s) 3 level(s) of jurisdiction   Art. 13 - lack of any effective remedy in domestic law against the protraction of the civil proceedings. 2,600   [1].  Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.