G.J. v. LUXEMBOURG - 21156/93

The European Court of Human Rights (Second Section), sitting as a Chamber composed of:

The case was referred to the Court by a Danish national, G.J. (“the applicant”) on 28 October 1999 pursuant to former Article 48 § 1 (e) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental freedoms (“the Convention”). It originated in an application (no. 21156/93) against Luxembourg lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights (“the Commission”) under former Article 25 of the Convention, on 8 September 1992.

The applicant, who had been granted legal aid, was represented by Mr Tyge Trier, a lawyer practising in Copenhagen. The respondent Government (“the Government”) were represented first by Maître Georges Ravarani, subsequently by Maître Albert Wildgen and then by Maître Lynn Spielmann, as Agent.

The case concerns the duration of the proceedings concerning the liquidation of the limited liability company in which the applicant owned 90% of the shares and whether these proceedings were terminated within a “reasonable time” as required by Article 6 § 1 of the Convention.

In 1967 the applicant moved to Luxembourg. In 1975 he founded a limited liability company for the purpose of trading in fur and leather products. The applicant held 90% of the company’s shares and his wife the remaining 10%.