[неофициальный перевод]
ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ СУД ПО ПРАВАМ ЧЕЛОВЕКА
СУДЕБНОЕ РЕШЕНИЕ
РАСМЮССЕН (RASMUSSEN) ПРОТИВ ДАНИИ
(Страсбург, 28 ноября 1984 года)
(Извлечение)
КРАТКОЕ НЕОФИЦИАЛЬНОЕ ИЗЛОЖЕНИЕ ОБСТОЯТЕЛЬСТВ ДЕЛА
A. Основные факты
Г-н Расмюссен, 1945 г. рождения, гражданин Дании, женился в
1966 г., и в январе 1971 г. его жена родила девочку. У заявителя
возникли сомнения относительно своего отцовства, но он воздержался
от непризнания отцовства, поскольку хотел сохранить брак.
Заявитель и его жена разошлись в июне 1975 г. В соответствии с
соглашением, заключенным с женой ранее, г-н Расмюссен обязался не
инициировать разбирательство с целью оспорить свое отцовство, а
его жена отказалась от алиментов на содержание ребенка.
В январе 1976 г. бывшая жена заявила, что она не связана этим
соглашением. Г-н Расмюссен обратился в Апелляционный суд за
разрешением подать иск о непризнании отцовства, поскольку истек
срок, установленный статьей 5 з 2 Закона 1960 г. о правовом
статусе детей. Однако Апелляционный суд 12 апреля 1976 г. отказал
ему в разрешении, поскольку в его деле не существовало особых
обстоятельств, на основании которых можно было бы сделать
исключение в отношении срока давности. Получив новую информацию,
г-н Расмюссен еще раз обратился в Апелляционный суд в ноябре
1978 г., но ему снова было отказано. Это Решение Суда затем было
подтверждено Верховным судом в январе 1979 г.
B. Разбирательство в Комиссии по правам человека
В жалобе, поданной в Комиссию г-ном Расмюссеном 21 мая
1979 г., он утверждал, что стал жертвой дискриминации по признаку
пола, поскольку, согласно датскому законодательству, его право на
доступ в суды с целью оспорить отцовство по отношению к ребенку
было ограничено определенным сроком, в то время как его бывшая
жена могла бы обратиться в суд в любое время. Он ссылался на
статью 14 в сочетании со статьями 6 и 8 Конвенции.
Комиссия признала жалобу приемлемой 8 декабря 1981 г. В своем
докладе от 5 июля 1983 г. она высказала мнение о нарушении
статьи 14 в сочетании со статьями 6 и 8 (восемью голосами против
пяти).
Комиссия передала дело в Суд 12 октября 1983 г.
ИЗВЛЕЧЕНИЕ ИЗ СУДЕБНОГО РЕШЕНИЯ
ВОПРОСЫ ПРАВА
27. Г-н Расмюссен жаловался на то, что по Закону 1960 г. (см.
п. 19 выше) его право оспорить отцовство ребенка, рожденного в
период, когда он состоял в браке, зависело от установленного для
этого срока, в то время как его бывшая жена имела право
потребовать проведения теста с целью установления отцовства
ребенка в любое время. Он утверждал, что явился жертвой
дискриминации по признаку пола, что противоречит статье 14
Конвенции в сочетании со статьей 6 (право на справедливое судебное
разбирательство, включая право на доступ к Суду) и статьей 8
(право на уважение личной и семейной жизни).
28. Статья 14 Конвенции гласит:
"Пользование правами и свободами, признанными в настоящей
Конвенции, должно быть обеспечено без какой-либо дискриминации по
признаку пола, расы, цвета кожи, языка, религии, политических или
иных убеждений, национального или социального происхождения,
принадлежности к национальным меньшинствам, имущественного
положения, рождения или любым иным обстоятельствам".
I. Подпадают ли обстоятельства этого дела под действие
одной или нескольких норм Конвенции?
29. Статья 14 дополняет другие нормы Конвенции и Протоколов.
Она не имеет самостоятельного существования, поскольку действует
лишь в отношении "пользования правами и свободами", охраняемыми
этими нормами. Хотя применение статьи 14 не обязательно
предполагает нарушение этих норм - и в этих пределах она имеет
автономное значение, - данная статья не может быть применена, если
только обстоятельства дела не попадают в сферу действия одной или
нескольких таких норм (см. inter alia Судебное решение по делу Ван
дер Мюсселе от 23 ноября 1983 г. Серия A, т. 70, с. 22, п. 43).
30. По мнению заявителя, иски об отцовстве подпадают под
действие статьи 6, а желание мужа определить свой семейный
статус - под действие статьи 8. Комиссия согласилась с этими
утверждениями.
31. Правительство сомневалось в том, что обращения по вопросам
отцовства ведут к определению "прав и обязанностей
гражданско-правового характера" по смыслу статьи 6 п. 1 главным
образом потому, что они связаны с публичным интересом. Оно также
оспаривало применимость статьи 8, утверждая, что ее целью является
защита семьи, а не расторжение существующих семейных уз.
32. Статья 6 п. 1 обеспечивает каждому право на определение
вопроса его прав и обязанностей гражданско-правового характера
(см. Судебное решение по делу Голдера от 21 февраля 1975 г.
Серия A, т. 18, с. 18, п. 36). Правда, при этом весьма значим
публичный интерес, но, с точки зрения Суда, этот фактор не может
исключить применимость статьи 6 к спору, который в силу самого
своего характера является "гражданско-правовым". Иск о непризнании
отцовства относится к семейному праву и на одном этом основании он
носит "гражданско-правовой" характер.
33. Статья 8 в свою очередь защищает не только "семейную", но
также и "личную" жизнь. Хотя целью судебного разбирательства, на
котором настаивал заявитель, было законное расторжение
существующих семейных связей, определение его правового статуса в
отношении ребенка, несомненно, касалось личной жизни заявителя.
Факты этого дела соответственно также попадают под действие
статьи 8.
II. Существовало ли различие в подходе?
34. По Закону 1960 г. муж в отличие от ребенка, его попечителя
или матери, ограничен определенным сроком для оспаривания
отцовства (см. п. 19 выше).
Правительство указало, что это различие, появившееся в тексте
Закона, сглаживалось двумя факторами. Во-первых, муж имел
возможность просить Апелляционный суд дать разрешение на
предъявление иска по истечении этого срока (см. п. 19 выше);
во-вторых, не только муж, но и жена могла быть лишена права
оспаривать отцовство в силу "доктрины признания" (см. п. 17 и 20
выше). Однако Правительство не утверждало, что этих факторов было
достаточно, чтобы исключить различие, установленное Законом.
Действительно, матери ребенка в отличие от мужа не было бы
отказано только по причине истечения преклюзивного срока; она
могла бы проиграть процесс только по причине упречности ее
поведения в прошлом.
В целях применения статьи 14 Суд видит различие в подходе к
г-ну Расмюссену и к его бывшей жене в отношении возможности
оспорить в судебном порядке отцовство г-на Расмюссена. Нет
необходимости определять, на чем основано это различие, перечень
оснований в статье 14 не является исчерпывающим (см. Решение по
делу Энгель и другие от 8 июня 1976 г. Серия A, т. 22, с. 30,
п. 72).
III. Находились ли заявитель и его бывшая жена
в одинаковой ситуации?
35. Статья 14 защищает от дискриминации лиц, которые
"находятся в одинаковых ситуациях" (см. вышеупомянутое Решение по
делу Ван дер Мюсселе. Серия A, т. 70, с. 22, п. 46).
36. Правительство поддержало заключение меньшинства членов
Комиссии, согласно которому муж и жена не находились в одинаковой
ситуации с точки зрения возможности начать судебный процесс об
отцовстве; их ситуации и интересы были во многом различны.
Впрочем, большинство членов Комиссии полагало, что эти характерные
особенности не были достаточно существенными, чтобы служить
основанием для выводов меньшинства.
37. Суд не считает, что ему необходимо решать этот спорный
вопрос, в особенности ввиду того, что интересы, о которых идет
речь, были учтены при рассмотрении вопроса о различии в обращении
с г-ном Расмюссеном и его бывшей женой. Суд исходит из допущения,
что речь идет о лицах, находящихся в одинаковой ситуации.
IV. Имело ли различие в подходе объективное
и разумное обоснование?
38. В целях статьи 14 различие в подходе является
дискриминационным, если у него "нет объективного и разумного
обоснования", т.е. если оно не преследует "законную цель" или если
нет "разумной соразмерности между используемыми средствами и
преследуемой целью" (см. inter alia Судебное решение по делу Маркс
от 13 июня 1979 г. Серия A, т. 31, с. 16, п. 33).
39. Правительство заявило, что имевшее место ограниченное
различие в подходе было объективным и оправданным. Оно привело
inter alia следующие аргументы:
i) интересы мужа и матери в споре по установлению отцовства
различны. В отличие от интересов мужа интересы матери, как
правило, совпадают с интересами ребенка; и естественно, что,
взвешивая интересы различных членов семьи, датское
законодательство в 1960 г. встало на ту точку зрения, что интересы
более слабой стороны, а именно ребенка, следует считать
превалирующими (см. п. 18 выше);
ii) датское законодательство сочло необходимым установить
предельные сроки для предъявления иска о непризнании отцовства,
поскольку существует риск, что муж может угрожать таким иском
матери, чтобы избежать алиментных обязательств;
iii) при решении вопроса о том, находились ли действия
национальных властей в предоставленных им "пределах усмотрения",
следует принять во внимание экономические и социальные условия в
данный период времени в конкретной стране и генезис
соответствующего законодательства;
iv) Дания внесла изменения в Закон 1960 г., когда этого
потребовали новые обстоятельства (см. п. 22 - 24 выше), но нельзя
сказать, что прежнее законодательство Дании было в тот период
времени менее прогрессивным, чем законодательство других
государств - участников.
Комиссия пришла к заключению, что единственно, что оправдывало
различия, было стремление избежать ухудшения положения ребенка в
результате иска г-на Расмюссена о непризнании отцовства,
предъявленного через несколько лет после его рождения. Поскольку к
тому же результату могла привести и "доктрина признания" (см.
п. 17 и 20 выше), то Комиссия заключила, что в деле отсутствовала
разумная соразмерность между используемыми средствами -
ограничение сроков лишь для мужа - и преследуемой целью.
40. В ряде решений Суд указал на то, что Договаривающимся
государствам предоставлены определенные "пределы усмотрения" для
того, чтобы определить, оправданны ли, и в какой мере, юридические
различия в подходе к лицам, во всех других отношениях находящимся
в одинаковых ситуациях (см. Решение по делу "О языках в Бельгии"
от 23 июля 1968 г. Серия A, т. 6, с. 35, п. 10; Решение по делу
Национального профсоюза бельгийской полиции от 27 октября 1975 г.
Серия A, т. 19, с. 20, п. 47 и с. 21 - 22, п. 49; Решение по делу
Профсоюза машинистов Швеции от 6 февраля 1976 г. Серия A, т. 20,
с. 17, п. 47; вышеупомянутое Решение по делу Энгель и другие.
Серия A, т. 22, с. 31, п. 72; Решение по делу Ирландия против
Соединенного Королевства от 18 января 1978 г. Серия A, т. 25,
с. 87, п. 229). Широта пределов усмотрения варьируется в
зависимости от конкретных обстоятельств, предмета спора и его
контекста. В этом отношении одним из релевантных факторов может
служить наличие или отсутствие некоторой общей доминанты в
правовых системах Договаривающихся государств (см. mutatis
mutandis Решение по делу "Санди таймс" от 26 апреля 1979 г.
Серия A, т. 30, с. 36, п. 59).
41. Изучение законодательства Договаривающихся государств об
установлении отцовства показывает, что такой общности не
существует и что в большинстве стран положение матери и положение
мужа регулируются по-разному.
Датское законодательство, на которое жаловался заявитель,
основывалось на рекомендациях, сделанных после тщательного
изучения проблемы Комитетом по отцовству, созданным Министерством
юстиции в 1949 г. (см. п. 18 выше). Суд тщательно рассмотрел
обстоятельства и общий контекст дела, принял во внимание те
пределы усмотрения, которые предоставлены властям в данном
вопросе. Эти последние были вправе считать, что установление
предельных сроков для предъявления иска о непризнании отцовства
было оправдано желанием обеспечить юридическую определенность и
защитить интересы ребенка. В этом отношении законодательство, на
которое жаловался заявитель, существенно не отличалось от
законодательства других Договаривающихся государств или от Закона,
действующего в настоящее время в Дании. Различие в подходе к
мужьям и женам основывалось на представлении, что ограниченные
сроки подачи иска были в меньшей степени необходимы женам, нежели
мужьям, поскольку интересы матери обычно совпадают с интересами
ребенка и в большинстве случаев развода или раздельного жительства
супругов ребенок остается у матери. Действовавшие правила были
видоизменены датским Парламентом в 1982 г., поскольку законодатели
сочли, что концепция, лежащая в основе Закона 1960 г., стала
несовместимой с процессами, происходящими в обществе (см. п. 22 -
24 выше); из этого нельзя сделать вывод, что оценка ситуации в
стране двадцать два года назад была неоправданной.
Верно, что такой же результат мог быть следствием "доктрины
признания" (см. п. 17 - 20 выше). Но в силу уже указанных причин
власти имели право допустить, что в отношении мужа преследуемая
ими цель будет достигнута наиболее удовлетворительно с помощью
нормы Закона, в то время как в отношении матери было достаточно
оставить дела такого рода на усмотрение судов, которые подходили
бы к их решению дифференцированно. Учитывая пределы усмотрения,
предоставленные властям, они не нарушили принцип соразмерности.
Таким образом, Суд приходит к заключению, что оспариваемое
различие в подходе не было дискриминирующим в смысле статьи 14.
ПО ЭТИМ ОСНОВАНИЯМ СУД ЕДИНОГЛАСНО
Постановил, что нарушение статьи 14 в сочетании со статьей 6
или статьей 8 не имело места.
Совершено на английском и французском языках и оглашено во
Дворце прав человека в Страсбурге 28 ноября 1984 г.
Председатель
Жерар ВИАРДА
Грефье
Марк-Андре ЭЙССЕН
В соответствии со статьей 51 п. 2 Конвенции и статьей 52 п. 2
Регламента Суда к настоящему Решению прилагается совпадающее
мнение судьи Герсинга.
СОВПАДАЮЩЕЕ МНЕНИЕ СУДЬИ ГЕРСИНГА
1. К сожалению, я не могу разделить мотивировку большинства,
касающуюся применимости статьи 8.
Большинство находит, что определение юридических отношений
заявителя с ребенком, безусловно, касалось его личной жизни, что
соответственно попадает в сферу действия статьи 8. С моей точки
зрения, это слишком широкое понимание права, защищаемого этой
нормой.
2. Формулировка статьи обязывает Датское Правительство
"уважать личную... жизнь" (г-на Расмюссена). Обычное значение
этого выражения не охватывает право отца не признавать отцовство.
Поэтому следует принять во внимание происхождение этой нормы.
3. Подготовительная работа над статьей 8 свидетельствует о
том, что авторы Конвенции имели намерение защитить человека от
"произвольного вмешательства в его личную жизнь" (Recueil de
"Travaux {Preparatoires}", <*> Гаага, 1976 г., т. III, с. 222 и т.
IV, с. 110, 188, 202 и 222). Несмотря на то, что следует быть
осмотрительным и не придавать слишком большого значения намерению
тридцатилетней давности, если последующие социальные и культурные
процессы оправдывают более широкое толкование статьи в ее
лингвистических границах, я считаю, что расхождение между
первоначальным намерением и применением данной статьи большинством
настолько велико, что представляется сомнительным, можно ли в
данном случае полностью игнорировать подготовительную работу.
--------------------------------
<*> Здесь и далее по тексту слова на национальном языке
набраны латинским шрифтом и выделены фигурными скобками.
4. В своем Решении по делу Маркс от 13 июня 1979 г. (Серия A,
т. 31, с. 15, п. 31) Суд постановил, что статья 8 не просто
обязывает государство воздерживаться от вмешательства: она также
имеет в виду его позитивные обязательства, присущие подлинному
"уважению" к гарантированным правам. Это означало, что
государству - ответчику пришлось изменить свою правовую систему,
чтобы позволить матери, не состоящей в браке, вести нормальную
семейную жизнь со своим ребенком.
Похожее рассуждение привело Суд к заключению в Решении по делу
Эйри от 9 октября 1979 г. (Серия A, т. 32, с. 17, п.33), что
замужняя женщина имела право добиваться признания по закону своего
de facto раздельного жительства с мужем.
Однако обстоятельства вышеупомянутых дел настолько отличаются
от ситуации, рассматриваемой Судом сейчас, что этим Судебным
решениям не следует придавать слишком большого значения для
вынесения решения по данному делу.
5. Рассуждения большинства основаны на более широком
толковании статьи 8, чем ранее принятое Судом, и, похоже, оно
подразумевает, что любая правовая проблема, имеющая отношение к
личной жизни человека, попадает в сферу действия статьи 8.
Протокол N 7 к Конвенции, который почти готов для подписания,
содержит, однако, в статье 5 положение, касающееся отношений
супругов со своими детьми. Я воспринимаю это как дальнейшее
подтверждение того, что Договаривающиеся Стороны Конвенции не
считают, что статья 8 полностью охватывает эту область.
6. По вышеизложенным основаниям я не нахожу, что статья 8
применима в этом деле.
EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
CASE OF RASMUSSEN v. DENMARK
JUDGMENT
(Strasbourg, 28.XI.1984)
In the Rasmussen case <1>,
--------------------------------
<1> The case is numbered 9/1983/65/100. The second figure
indicates the year in which the case was referred to the Court and
the first figure its place on the list of cases referred in that
year; the last two figures indicate, respectively, the case's
order on the list of cases and of originating applications (to the
Commission) referred to the Court since its creation.
The European Court of Human Rights, sitting, in accordance
with Article 43 (art. 43) of the Convention for the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ("the Convention") and the
relevant provisions of the Rules of Court <2>, as a Chamber
composed of the following judges:
--------------------------------
<2> The revised Rules of Court, which entered into force on 1
January 1983, are applicable to the present case.
Mr. G. Wiarda, President,
Mr. W. Ganshof van der Meersch,
Mrs. D. Bindschedler-Robert,
Mr. F. Matscher,
Mr. R. Macdonald,
Mr. C. Russo,
Mr. J. Gersing,
and also of Mr. M.-A. Eissen, Registrar, and Mr. H. Petzold,
Deputy Registrar,
Having deliberated in private on 28 June and on 22 October
1984,
Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on the
last-mentioned date:
PROCEDURE
1. The present case was referred to the Court by the European
Commission of Human Rights ("the Commission") on 12 October 1983,
within the three-month period laid down by Articles 32 para. 1 and
47 (art. 32-1, art. 47) of the Convention. The case originated in
an application (no. 8777/79) against the Kingdom of Denmark lodged
with the Commission on 21 May 1979 under Article 25 (art. 25) by
Mr. Per Krohn Rasmussen, a Danish national.
2. The Commission's request referred to Articles 44 and 48
(art. 44, art. 48) and to the declaration whereby Denmark
recognised the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court (Article 46)
(art. 46). The purpose of the request was to obtain a decision as
to whether or not the facts of the case disclosed a breach by the
respondent State of its obligations under Article 14 of the
Convention taken in conjunction with Articles 6 and 8 (art. 14+6,
art. 14+8).
3. In response to the inquiry made in accordance with Rule 33
para. 3 (d) of the Rules of Court, the applicant stated that he
wished to take part in the proceedings pending before the Court
and designated the lawyer who would represent him (Rule 30).
4. The Chamber of seven judges to be constituted included, as
ex officio members, Mr. J. Gersing, the elected judge of Danish
nationality (Article 43 of the Convention) (art. 43), and Mr. G.
Wiarda, the President of the Court (Rule 21 para. 3 (b)). On 27
October 1983, the President drew by lot, in the presence of the
Registrar, the names of the five other members, namely Mr. M.
Zekia, Mr. W. Ganshof van der Meersch, Mr. F. Matscher, Mr. B.
Walsh and Mr. R. Macdonald (Article 43 in fine of the Convention
and Rule 21 para. 4) (art. 43). Subsequently, Mr. Zekia and Mr.
Walsh, who were prevented from taking part in the consideration of
the case, were replaced by Mr. C. Russo and Mrs. D.
Bindschedler-Robert, substitute judges (Rules 22 para. 1 and 24
para. 1).
5. Mr. Wiarda, who had assumed the office of President of the
Chamber (Rule 21 para. 5), ascertained, through the Registrar, the
views of the Agent of the Danish Government ("the Government"),
the Delegate of the Commission and the representative of the
applicant regarding the necessity for a written procedure (Rule 37
para. 1). On 14 November 1983, the President directed that the
Agent and the representative should each have until 15 February
1984 to file a memorial and that the Delegate should be entitled
to reply in writing within two months from the date of the
transmission to him by the Registrar of whichever of the aforesaid
documents should last be filed. On 6 February 1984, the President
extended the first time-limit until 15 March.
The Government's and the applicant's memorials were received
at the registry on 19 March. On 17 April, the Secretary to the
Commission informed the Registrar that the Delegate would reply at
the hearing.
6. After consulting, through the Registrar, the Agent of the
Government, the Commission's Delegate and the applicant's
representative, the President directed on 3 May that the oral
hearings should open on 26 June 1984 (Rule 38). On 24 November
1983, he had granted to the representative leave to use the Danish
language on this occasion (Rule 27 para. 3).
On 30 May, the Registrar, acting on the instructions of the
President, requested the Commission and the Government to produce
certain documents, which were received on 7, 12 and 15 June.
7. The hearings were held in public on 26 June at the Human
Rights Building, Strasbourg. Immediately before they opened, the
Court had held a preparatory meeting.
There appeared before the Court:
- for the Government
Mr. T. Lehmann, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agent,
Mr. T. Melchior, Ministry of Justice, Counsel,
Mr. J. Bernhard, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Mr. B. Vesterdorf, Ministry of Justice, Advisers;
- for the Commission
Mr. T. Opsahl, Delegate;
- for the applicant
Mrs. {J. Lindglrd}, advokat, Counsels
The Court heard addresses by Mr. Lehmann and Mr. Melchior for
the Government, by Mr. Opsahl for the Commission and by Mrs.
{Lindglrd} for the applicant, as well as replies to its questions.
AS TO THE FACTS
I. The particular circumstances of the case
8. The applicant, Mr. Per Krohn Rasmussen, is a Danish
citizen, born in 1945. He currently works as a clerk and resides
in Nyborg.
He was married in 1966. During the marriage, two children were
born, a boy in 1966 and a girl, Pernille, on 20 January 1971. The
applicant had grounds, even before the latter's birth, for
assuming that another man might be the father; however, in order
to save the marriage, he took no steps to have paternity
determined.
9. In June 1973, Mr. Rasmussen and his wife applied for a
separation (separation ved bevilling), which they obtained on 9
August. In accordance with their agreement, Mrs. Rasmussen
retained custody of the children and the competent authority
issued a decision to the effect that Mr. Rasmussen should pay
maintenance for them from 1 September 1973. He in fact did so from
that date until 1 June 1975.
10. In March 1975, the applicant, who had previously still
nurtured hopes of preserving the marriage, took some steps to
institute proceedings to challenge his paternity of Pernille. To
this end, he applied for legal aid. However, he did not pursue the
matter since, on 28 April 1975, he and his wife signed an
agreement whereby she waived all claims for maintenance for the
child and he undertook to refrain from bringing any such
proceedings.
11. In June 1975, the applicant and his wife applied for a
divorce (skilmisse ved bevilling), which was granted on 16 July.
On this occasion, he reaffirmed before the authorities that the
mother should have sole custody of the children and was once more
ordered to pay maintenance for them. He did not raise any
objection.
12. On 16 January 1976, four days before Pernille's fifth
birthday, the applicant's former wife wrote to him asserting that
she was not bound by the agreement of 28 April 1975. She later
lodged with the public authorities a renewed petition for
maintenance, which was granted by order effective from 1 March
1976. Since then, Mr. Rasmussen has regularly paid the
maintenance.
13. On 27 January 1976, Mr. Rasmussen sought leave from the
Eastern Court of Appeal ({Rstre} Landsret) to institute
proceedings out of time to determine the paternity of the girl
(see paragraph 19 below).
In accordance with the normal procedure, the police, at the
Court of Appeal's request, interviewed Mr. Rasmussen and his
former wife in March 1976 and recorded their statements in a
report.
14. The Court of Appeal refused the application on 12 April
1976, for the reason that the statutory conditions for granting
leave at that time were not satisfied (see paragraph 19 below).
The applicant did not appeal against the decision within the
statutory time-limit. However, on 27 July 1976, he petitioned the
Ministry of Justice for leave to appeal out of time to the Supreme
Court ({Hrjesteret}), but this was refused on 3 September 1976.
15. On 20 November 1978, Mr. Rasmussen applied again to the
Court of Appeal for leave to institute paternity proceedings. His
former wife opposed the application, on the ground that such
proceedings would have a detrimental effect on the child.
By a decision of 11 December 1978, the Court of Appeal refused
the application for the reason that the applicant had not brought
the action contesting paternity within the time-limits provided
for in section 5(2) of the 1960 Act on the Legal Status of
Children ("the 1960 Act" - Lov nr. 200 af 18.5.1960 om {brrns}
retsstilling; see paragraph 19 below) and that there was no cause
to grant him any exemption since the conditions laid down in
section 5(3) were not met. A similar decision was given by the
Supreme Court on 12 January 1979.
II. Relevant domestic law
A. Background to the 1960 Act on the
Legal Status of Children
16. Prior to the enactment of the 1960 Act, which applied in
Mr. Rasmussen's case, the status of children was regulated in the
Illegitimacy Act of 1937 and the Legitimacy Act of the same year.
Section 3 of the latter provided that proceedings to contest
paternity of a legitimate child could be instituted by the mother,
the husband, the child or a person appointed guardian of the
child. No time-limit was laid down for the institution of such
proceedings.
17. According to Danish case-law and legal writing, however, a
husband could be estopped from contesting paternity of a child
born in wedlock if, knowing that his wife had had sexual
intercourse with another man during the relevant period, he had
expressly or tacitly acknowledged after the child's birth that he
was the father. The "doctrine of acknowledgement"
(anerkendelseslaeren) was first established in 1956 by a judgment
of the Supreme Court, reported in Ugeskrift for Retsvaesen
(U.f.R.) 1956, p. 107. Although there was no case-law on the
point, legal writers expressed the view that this doctrine applied
also to mothers (see, for instance, Ernst Andersen, Aegteskabsret
I, 1954, p. 95).
18. In December 1949, the Ministry of Justice set up a
committee, called the "Paternity Committee", to consider, inter
alia, certain aspects of the status of children born in wedlock.
In June 1955, the Committee submitted its report (no. 126/1955) on
the amendment of the rules regarding determination of paternity.
As to the husband's right to institute proceedings to
challenge paternity of a child born in wedlock, the Committee
recommended the institution of a double time-limit of six months
from the time when the husband became aware of the facts affording
grounds for contesting his paternity and not later than three
years from the birth of the child; but that the Ministry of
Justice should be empowered to grant exemption from these
time-limits in special circumstances. The Committee took the view
that the welfare of the child (and of the marriage) required that
his status should be established as soon as possible and that the
husband's interests should yield to these considerations (page 60
of the report). One of the reasons given by the Committee for this
recommendation was that a paternity suit instituted by the husband
several years after the child's birth would place the child in a
worse position than if proceedings had been instituted earlier:
the court would possibly have to give judgment in the husband's
favour on the basis of the blood-group determination, while it
would be difficult to obtain a paternity and a maintenance order
against another man.
On the other hand, the Committee found that the child's right
to institute proceedings should not be subject to any time-limit,
since the views which might lead to restricting the husband's
right to institute proceedings were not of relevance in the case
of an action brought by the child. For the same reasons, there
should likewise be no time-limit with regard to actions brought by
the child's guardian or the mother (page 59 of the report).
The Committee also discussed the question whether the doctrine
of acknowledgement should be embodied in legislation. However, it
considered that this was a matter which was better left to the
courts to decide on a case-by-case basis.
B. The 1960 Act
19. The Government subsequently introduced a Bill which
incorporated in part the recommendations of the Paternity
Committee but increased the time-limits to twelve months and five
years respectively and conferred competence to grant exemption on
the Courts of Appeal. This legislation entered into force, as the
1960 Act, on 1 January 1961. It provided in section 5(1) that
proceedings to challenge paternity of a child could be brought by
the husband, the mother, the child or a guardian of the child.
Sub-sections 2 and 3 of section 5 read as follows:
"(2) Paternity proceedings must be instituted by the husband
within twelve months after he becomes cognizant of the
circumstances which may give grounds for his renunciation of
paternity, and not later than five years after the birth of the
child.
(3) However, a Court of Appeal may, on the conditions set out
in section 456r, sub-section 4, of the Administration of Justice
Act, grant leave to institute proceedings after the expiry of the
time-limits set out in sub-section 2 above."
Section 456r, sub-section 4, of the Administration of Justice
Act concerns re-opening of a paternity case after the expiry of
the applicable time-limit or time-limits. It provides that leave
may be granted by a Court of Appeal if quite exceptional reasons
are given as to why a review was not sought earlier, if the
particular circumstances of the case especially warrant it and if
it can be assumed that the re-opening will not cause the child any
great inconvenience.
The 1960 Act did not impose any restriction on the mother's
right to institute paternity proceedings, nor did it refer to the
doctrine of acknowledgement (see paragraph 17 above).
20. In case-law, however, the "doctrine of acknowledgement"
continued to be applied and there were Court of Appeal and Supreme
Court decisions confirming the earlier view that the doctrine also
applied to mothers.
21. The circumstances which, under the doctrine of
acknowledgement, estop the husband from contesting paternity will,
as a general rule, also militate against granting him leave to
institute proceedings out of time. However, a decision to grant
leave is without prejudice to the outcome of the subsequent
procedure (see the Eastern Court of Appeal's judgment of 1977,
U.f.R. 1977, p. 907).
C. Amendments to the 1960 Act
22. In 1969, the Ministry of Justice set up a committee,
called the "Matrimonial Committee", to consider whether the
evolution of social conditions, and notably the changes in the
social status of women and the resultant changes in the conception
of the institution of marriage since the introduction of the 1960
Act, called for amendment of, inter alia, the provisions governing
the legal status, during marriage and after separation or divorce,
of children born in wedlock. In fact, the proportion of women
working outside their homes has increased to about 60 per cent. As
a result, men are, to a much higher degree than before, looking
after the children and are more frequently granted their custody
in the event of separation or divorce. Mothers are therefore now
more likely to challenge paternity in order to prevent custody
being given to the husband. In a report on cohabitation without
marriage (samliv uden aegteskab I - n- 915/1980, p. 72), published
in January 1981, the Matrimonial Committee stated:
"There is consensus in the Committee that also the mother's
right to institute paternity proceedings and request re-opening
should be subject to a relatively short time-limit, for example
corresponding to the time-limits which today apply to the father.
Furthermore, the Committee is to some degree in favour of an
absolute time-limit, applicable to all, for instituting and
re-opening paternity proceedings."
23. On the basis of the recommendations of the Matrimonial
Committee, the Government tabled a Bill before Parliament in March
1982, proposing certain amendments to the 1960 Act.
The explanatory memorandum to this Bill referred to the
Rasmussen case, then pending before the European Commission. On
page 4, it mentioned that the Agent of the Government had declared
in evidence before the Commission that new legislation on the
matter would be introduced, establishing uniform time-limits
within which both men and women could contest the husband's
paternity; the memorandum added that the Ministry of Justice
considered such legislation "desirable in the interest of the
child's needs" (af hensyn til barnets tarv).
24. On 26 May 1982, the Danish legislature passed an Act
amending the 1960 Act, which entered into force on 1 July 1982.
Following this amendment, sub-sections 2 and 3 of section 5 of
the 1960 Act now provide:
"(2) Paternity proceedings must be instituted not later than
three years after the birth of the child. This provision shall not
apply, however, where proceedings are instituted by the child
after having attained the age of 18.
(3) A Court of Appeal may grant leave to institute proceedings
after the expiry of the time-limit set out in the first sentence
of sub-section 2 of this section where quite exceptional grounds
are given as to why proceedings were not instituted at an earlier
stage, in circumstances where institution of proceedings is
especially warranted, and where it can be presumed that the
proceedings will not cause the child any great inconvenience."
The "doctrine of acknowledgement" is still applied by the
Danish courts to estop spouses from contesting paternity of a
child (see the Supreme Court's judgment of 17 January 1984).
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COMMISSION
25. In his application of 21 May 1979 to the Commission (no.
8777/79), Mr. Rasmussen alleged that he had been subjected to
discrimination based on sex in that, under the relevant Danish law
applicable at the time, his former wife had an unlimited right of
access to court to challenge his paternity, whilst he did not.
26. The Commission declared the application admissible on 8
December 1981. In its report adopted on 5 July 1983 (Article 31 of
the Convention) (art. 31), the Commission expressed the opinion
that there had been a breach of Article 14 taken in conjunction
with Articles 6 and 8 (art. 14+6, art. 14+8) (eight votes against
five). The full text of the Commission's opinion and of the
separate opinion contained in the report is reproduced as an annex
to the present judgment.
AS TO THE LAW
27. Mr. Rasmussen complained of the fact that, under the 1960
Act (see paragraph 19 above), his right to contest his paternity
of a child born during the marriage was subject to time-limits,
whereas his former wife was entitled to institute paternity
proceedings at any time. He alleged that he had been the victim of
discrimination on the ground of sex, contrary to Article 14 of the
Convention, taken in conjunction with Article 6 (art. 14+6) (right
to a fair trial, including the right of access to court) and with
Article 8 (art. 14+8) (right to respect for private and family
life).
28. Article 14 (art. 14) of the Convention reads as follows:
"The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground
such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other
opinion, national or social origin, association with a national
minority, property, birth or other status."
I. Do the facts of the case fall within
the ambit of one or more of the other substantive
provisions of the Convention?
29. Article 14 (art. 14) complements the other substantive
provisions of the Convention and the Protocols. It has no
independent existence since it has effect solely in relation to
"the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms" safeguarded by those
provisions. Although the application of Article 14 (art. 14) does
not necessarily presuppose a breach of those provisions - and to
this extent it has an autonomous meaning -, there can be no room
for its application unless the facts at issue fall within the
ambit of one or more of the latter (see, inter alia, the Van der
Mussele judgment of 23 November 1983, Series A no. 70, p. 22,
para. 43).
30. The applicant submitted that Article 6 (art. 6) was
applicable to paternity proceedings and, further, that a husband's
wish to have his family status determined fell within the scope of
Article 8 (art. 8). These contentions were accepted by the
Commission.
31. For the Government, it was questionable whether the object
of a paternity suit was a determination of "civil rights and
obligations", within the meaning of Article 6 para. 1 (art. 6-1),
mainly because of the strong public interest involved in
proceedings of this kind. They also contested the applicability of
Article 8 (art. 8), maintaining that its object was the protection
of the family and not the dissolution of existing family ties.
32. Article 6 para. 1 (art. 6-1) secures to everyone the right
to have any claim relating to his civil rights and obligations
brought before a court or tribunal (see the Golder judgment of 21
February 1975, Series A no. 18, p. 18, para. 36). It is true that
the public interest may be affected by proceedings of the kind
which Mr. Rasmussen wished to institute, but, in the Court's view,
this factor cannot exclude the applicability of Article 6 (art. 6)
to litigation which, by its very nature, is "civil" in character.
And an action contesting paternity is a matter of family law; on
that account alone, it is "civil" in character.
33. Article 8 (art. 8), for its part, protects not only
"family" but also "private" life. Even though the paternity
proceedings which the applicant wished to institute were aimed at
the dissolution in law of existing family ties, the determination
of his legal relations with Pernille undoubtedly concerned his
private life. The facts of the case accordingly also fall within
the ambit of Article 8 (art. 8).
II. Was there a difference of treatment?
34. Under the 1960 Act, the husband, unlike the child, its
guardian or the mother, had to institute paternity proceedings
within prescribed time-limits (see paragraph 19 above).
The Government pointed out that this difference which appeared
on the face of the Act was reduced in scope by two factors:
firstly, it was open to the husband to seek leave from the Court
of Appeal to institute proceedings out of time (see paragraph 19
above); secondly, not only the husband but also the mother might
be debarred from contesting paternity by virtue of the "doctrine
of acknowledgement" (see paragraphs 17 and 20 above). However, the
Government did not suggest that these factors were sufficient to
eliminate the difference laid down by statute. Indeed, the mother
would not, like her husband, be estopped solely for being out of
time; her action might simply fail as a result of her previous
attitude.
For the purposes of Article 14 (art. 14), the Court
accordingly finds that there was a difference of treatment as
between Mr. Rasmussen and his former wife as regards the
possibility of instituting proceedings to contest the former's
paternity. There is no call to determine on what ground this
difference was based, the list of grounds appearing in Article 14
(art. 14) not being exhaustive (see the Engel and Others judgment
of 8 June 1976, Series A no. 22, p. 30, para. 72).
III. Were the applicant and his former
wife placed in analogous situations?
35. Article 14 (art. 14) safeguards individuals who are
"placed in analogous situations" against discriminatory
differences of treatment (see the above-mentioned Van der Mussele
judgment, Series A no. 70, p. 22, para. 46).
36. The Government supported the conclusion of the minority of
the Commission that husband and wife were not placed in analogous
situations as far as a paternity suit was concerned, there being a
number of distinguishing characteristics between their respective
positions and interests. The majority of the Commission, on the
other hand, found that those characteristics were not sufficiently
fundamental to warrant that conclusion.
37. The Court does not consider that it has to resolve this
issue, especially as the positions and interests referred to are
also of relevance in determining whether the difference of
treatment was justified. It will proceed on the assumption that
the difference was made between persons placed in analogous
situations.
IV. Did the difference of treatment have
an objective and reasonable justification?
38. For the purposes of Article 14 (art. 14), a difference of
treatment is discriminatory if it "has no objective and reasonable
justification", that is, if it does not pursue a "legitimate aim"
or if there is not a "reasonable relationship of proportionality
between the means employed and the aim sought to be realised"
(see, inter alia, the Marckx judgment of 13 June 1979, Series A
no. 31, p. 16, para. 33).
39. The Government pleaded that the limited difference of
treatment that existed had an objective and reasonable
justification. They relied, inter alia, on the following points:
(i) the respective interests of the husband and of the mother
in paternity proceedings were different: unlike the husband's
interests, the mother's generally coincided with those of the
child; and it was natural that, in weighing the interests of the
different family members, the Danish legislature should in 1960
have taken the view that the interests of the weaker party, namely
the child, should prevail (see paragraph 18 above);
(ii) the legislature had also regarded it as necessary to lay
down time-limits for the institution of paternity proceedings by a
husband because of the risk that he might use them as a threat
against the mother, in order to escape maintenance obligations;
(iii) in deciding whether the national authorities have acted
within the "margin of appreciation" which they enjoy in this area,
regard should be had to the economic and social circumstances
prevailing at the relevant time in the country concerned and to
the background to the legislation in question;
(iv) Denmark had undoubtedly amended the 1960 Act when this
proved to be warranted by subsequent developments (see paragraphs
22 - 24 above), but it could not be said that the former Danish
legislation on this matter was at the relevant time less
progressive than that of the other Contracting Parties to the
Convention.
The Commission found that the only legitimate purpose for the
difference of treatment complained of by the applicant was the
desire to avoid the child's being placed in a worse position by
the institution of paternity proceedings several years after its
birth. However, since this aim could have been achieved through
the "doctrine of acknowledgement" (see paragraphs 17 and 20
above), there was no reasonable relationship of proportionality
between the means employed - the laying-down of time-limits solely
for the husband - and the aim sought to be realised.
40. The Court has pointed out in several judgments that the
Contracting States enjoy a certain "margin of appreciation" in
assessing whether and to what extent differences in otherwise
similar situations justify a different treatment in law (see the
judgment of 23 July 1968 in the "Belgian Linguistic" case, Series
A no. 6, p. 35, para. 10; the National Union of Belgian Police
judgment of 27 October 1975, Series A no. 19, p. 20, para. 47, and
pp. 21 - 22, para. 49; the Swedish Engine Drivers' Union judgment
of 6 February 1976, Series A no. 20, p. 17, para. 47; the
above-mentioned Engel and Others judgment, Series A no. 22, p. 31,
para. 72; and the Ireland v. the United Kingdom judgment of 18
January 1978, Series A no. 25, p. 87, para. 229). The scope of the
margin of appreciation will vary according to the circumstances,
the subject-matter and its background; in this respect, one of the
relevant factors may be the existence or non-existence of common
ground between the laws of the Contracting States (see, mutatis
mutandis, the Sunday Times judgment of 26 April 1979, Series A no.
30, p. 36, para. 59).
41. Examination of the Contracting States' legislation
regarding paternity proceedings shows that there is no such common
ground and that in most of them the position of the mother and
that of the husband are regulated in different ways.
The Danish legislation complained of was based on
recommendations made, after a careful study of the problem, by the
Paternity Committee set up by the Ministry of Justice in 1949 (see
paragraph 18 above). The Court has had close regard to the
circumstances and the general background and has borne in mind the
margin of appreciation which must be allowed to the authorities in
the matter. In its view, they were entitled to think that the
introduction of time-limits for the institution of paternity
proceedings was justified by the desire to ensure legal certainty
and to protect the interests of the child. In this respect, the
legislation complained of did not differ substantially from that
of most other Contracting States or from that currently in force
in Denmark. The difference of treatment established on this point
between husbands and wives was based on the notion that such
time-limits were less necessary for wives than for husbands since
the mother's interests usually coincided with those of the child,
she being awarded custody in most cases of divorce or separation.
The rules in force were modified by the Danish Parliament in 1982
because it considered that the thinking underlying the 1960 Act
was no longer consistent with the developments in society (see
paragraphs 22 - 24 above); it cannot be inferred from this that
the manner in which it had evaluated the situation twenty-two
years earlier was not tenable.
It is true that an equivalent result might have been obtained
through the "doctrine of acknowledgement" (see paragraphs 17 and
20 above), but, for the reasons already indicated, the competent
authorities were entitled to think that as regards the husband the
aim sought to be realised would be most satisfactorily achieved by
the enactment of a statutory rule, whereas as regards the mother
it was sufficient to leave the matter to be decided by the courts
on a case-by-case basis. Accordingly, having regard to their
margin of appreciation, the authorities also did not transgress
the principle of proportionality.
42. The Court thus concludes that the difference of treatment
complained of was not discriminatory, within the meaning of
Article 14 (art. 14).
FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT UNANIMOUSLY
Holds that there has been no violation of Article 14 taken in
conjunction with Article 6 (art. 14+6) or with Article 8 (art.
14+8).
Done in English and in French, and delivered at a public
hearing at the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg, on 28 November
1984.
Signed: {Gerard} WIARDA
President
Signed: {Marc-Andre} EISSEN
Registrar
The separate opinion of Mr. Gersing is annexed to the present
judgment in accordance with Article 51 para. 2 (art. 51-2) of the
Convention and Rule 52 para. 2 of the Rules of Court.
Initialled: G.W.
Initialled: M.-A.E
CONCURRING OPINION OF JUDGE GERSING
1. To my regret, I am not able to share the reasoning of the
majority concerning the applicability of Article 8 (art. 8).
The majority finds that as the determination of the
applicant's legal relations with Pernille undoubtedly concerned
his private life, the case accordingly also falls within the ambit
of Article 8 (art. 8). In my view, this is far too wide an
understanding of the right protected by this provision.
2. The wording of the provision obliges the Danish Government
to show "respect for [Mr. Rasmussen's] private ... life". The
ordinary meaning of this expression does not clearly cover a
father's right to disclaim his paternity of a child. Regard must
therefore be had to the origin of the provision.
3. The preparatory work on Article 8 (art. 8) indicates that
the authors of the Convention had in mind to protect the
individual against an "arbitrary interference with his privacy"
(Collected Editions of the "Travaux {Preparatoires}" of the
European Convention on Human Rights, The Hague, Nijhoff, 1976,
Vol. III, p. 222, and Vol. IV, pp. 110, 188, 202 and 222).
Although one should be careful not to attach too much importance
to the intention behind a provision that is more than thirty years
old if later social and cultural developments justify a broader
understanding of its words within their linguistic limits, I find
that the gap between the original intention and the majority's
application of the Article is so great that it seems doubtful
whether one can ignore the preparatory work completely in this
case.
4. In its Marckx judgment of 13 June 1979 (Series A no. 31, p.
15, para. 31), the Court held that Article 8 (art. 8) does not
merely compel the State to abstain from interference: in addition,
there may be positive obligations inherent in an effective
"respect" for the guaranteed rights. This meant that the State had
to adapt its legal system to allow an unmarried mother to lead a
normal family life with her child.
A similar consideration led the Court to the conclusion in its
Airey judgment of 9 October 1979 (Series A no. 32, p. 17, para.
33) that a married woman had the right to seek recognition in law
of her de facto separation from her husband.
The facts in the above cases are, however, so different from
the situation now before the Court that these judgments cannot be
of decisive importance for the ruling in the case.
5. The majority's reasoning is based on an interpretation of
Article 8 (art. 8) which is broader than that previously adopted
by the Court and seems to imply that any legal problem that has a
bearing on a person's private life falls within the scope of
Article 8 (art. 8).
Protocol No. 7 (P7) to the Convention, which is about to be
opened for signature, contains, however, in Article 5 (art. P7-5)
a provision concerning spouses' relations with their children. I
take that as a further indication that the Parties to the
Convention have not found that Article 8 (art. 8) covers this
aspect.
6. For the above reasons, I do not find Article 8 (art. 8) to
be applicable in this case.
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