PROCEDURE

The case originated in an application (no. 42032/98) against the Republic of Austria lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights (“the Commission”) under former Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by an Austrian national, Mr Johann Widmann (“the applicant”), on 23 March 1998.

The applicant was represented by Mr E. Proksch, a lawyer practising in Vienna. The Austrian Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Ambassador H. Winkler, Head of the International Law Department at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The applicant alleged, in particular, that the length of the administrative proceedings exceeded the reasonable time requirement under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention.

The application was transmitted to the Court on 1 November 1998, when Protocol No. 11 to the Convention came into force (Article 5 § 2 of Protocol No. 11).

The application was allocated to the Third Section of the Court (Rule 52 § 1 of the Rules of Court). Within that Section, the Chamber that would consider the case (Article 27 § 1 of the Convention) was constituted as provided in Rule 26 § 1. On 20 March 2001 the Court communicated the above complaint to the Government and declared the remaining complaints inadmissible.

On 1 November 2001 the Court changed the composition of its Sections (Rule 25 § 1). This case was assigned to the newly composed Third Section (Rule 52 § 1). Within that Section, the Chamber that would consider the case (Article 27 § 1 of the Convention) was constituted as provided in Rule 26 § 1.

By a decision of 6 June 2002 the Court declared the application admissible.

The applicant and the Government each filed observations on the merits (Rule 59 § 1).

THE FACTS

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE

The applicant is living in Mittersill/Austria, where he is a farmer and owner of the Rossweg alp. According to a regulatory deed (Regulierungsurkunde) of 1868 concerning the alp, the owner of this alp is entitled to obtain timber from the Austrian Federal Forestry Administration to the extent necessary for the maintenance of the alp's cabins.

1. First round of proceedings

On 30 October 1987 the applicant requested the Office of the Salzburg Regional Government as the agricultural authority of first instance (Landesregierung als Agrarbehörde erster Instanz - “the Agricultural Authority”) to grant him the necessary quantity of timber for the maintenance of existing and the edification of new alpine cabins.

On 14 July 1988 the Agricultural Authority held a hearing and on 20 June 1989 a forestry expert delivered his opinion.

On 4 September 1989 the Agricultural Authority gave its decision, ordering the Federal Forestry Administration to provide the applicant with a certain quantity of timber within four weeks.

On 25 September 1989 the applicant appealed against this decision.

On 2 February 1990 the Salzburg Regional Land Reform Board (Landesagrarsenat - “the Regional Board”) dismissed the appeal and ordered the Federal Forestry Administration to provide the applicant with a smaller quantity of timber within four weeks.

On 27 June 1990 the applicant filed a complaint against this decision with the Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof).

On 12 October 1993 the Administrative Court quashed the Regional Board's decision.

On 28 January 1994 the Regional Board granted the applicant's appeal of 25 September 1989 and referred the case back to the Agricultural Authority.

2. Second round of proceedings

By a decision of 6 June 1994 the Agricultural Authority opened supplementary proceedings with a view to amending the regulatory deed of 1868 concerning the alp. On 25 August 1994 and 25 January 1995 hearings were held. On 12 December 1994 an agricultural expert delivered his opinion as to the average annual timber supply necessary for the maintenance of the cabins.

On 6 February 1995 the Agricultural Authority issued a decision, by which it amended the regulatory deed of 1868 and determined the provision of timber for the owner of the Rossweg alp. The applicant appealed against this decision, claiming that a fixed annual supply of timber should be granted irrespective of the need to maintain the cabins.

On 23 June 1995 the Regional Board partly granted the appeal and amended the Agricultural Authority's decision.

On 17 November 1995 the Regional Board granted the applicant's request for leave to appeal out of time (Wiedereinsetzung in den vorigen Stand) to the Supreme Land Reform Board (Oberster Agrarsenat - “the Supreme Board”) against the Regional Board's decision.

On 6 March 1996 the Supreme Board, after having held a hearing, dismissed the applicant's further appeal. It found that the legal instrument of 1868 only conferred a right to obtain timber for the maintenance of cabins, not a right to a fixed annual quantity of timber.

On 30 May 1996 the applicant lodged a complaint with the Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof).

On 24 September 1996 the Constitutional Court refused to deal with the complaint for lack of sufficient prospects of success and remitted the case to the Administrative Court.

On 11 December 1997 the Administrative Court dismissed the applicant's complaint. It confirmed that the applicant was entitled to obtain a variable quantity of timber dependent on the need to maintain his alp's cabins, but not to obtain a fixed annual quantity. The decision was served on the applicant's counsel on 28 January 1998.