The Notion of Possessions for the Purposes of Article 1 of the First Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights

Abstract

Problem setting. Article 1 of the First Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter – Art. P1-1) states that every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. Thus in order for this article to be applicable, the applicant has to show that the right, which he alleges to be violated by the respondent state, constitutes his possession.

Recent research and publications analysis. The concept of “possessions” within Art. P1-1 was analyzed by foreign scholars, such as S. Drooghenbroeck,  U. Kriebaum, C. Schreurer, L. Sermet and others. The problem was also addressed by the Judge of Constitutional Court of Ukraine – S. Shevchuk.

Paper objective. The main objective of the paper is to provide general criteria of what should be deemed as possession in the context of Art. P1-1.

Paper main body. The case law of European Court of Human Rights allows to conclude that in order to be deemed as a possession, the subjective right in question should meet three following requirements: (1) it must have pecuniary value, which can be measured in money; (2) it must be civil in nature (as distinct from rights based on public law); (3) it must be certain enough to be enforced by the court (in contrast to the mere hope of some advantages).

Conclusions of the research. As a conclusion it should be noted that in its pursuit to protect fundamental rights of a person European Court of Human Rights tends to equate legal notion of possessions with economic concept of welfare.