Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Article Iof the Convention : Dtis provision does not-require Coniracting States to
irtcorpornte the Convention in their internal legal order.
A rticle I of the First Protocol : Does the withdrawal of a licence for a restaurateur
to sen•e alcoltolic drinks constitute an interference with the right to respect for orte's
posse.ccions ? (Complaint declared admissible) .
246
Article 26 de la Co nvention : Recours à e.rercer . en Suède, par un restaurateur se
plaignnm du revair de la licence l'autorisant à servir des boissons alcooliques . la
question de l'efjicncité d'une action en responsabilité civile con tre l'Etat se confond
avec celle du bien-fondé du grief tiré de l'anicle 6 par . 1 (nccès aua tribunaux) .
The applicant, Tre Traktürer Aktiebolag, is a limited liability company with its
seat at Helsingborg . The sole shareholder of the company is Mrs . Olga Flenman .
The applicant is represented before the Commission by Mr . G&ran Ravnsborg,
university lecturer at Lund .
On 29 July 1980 the applicant took over the management of a restaurant called
Le Cardinal situated at Helsingborg . The applicant had a licence to serve beer, wine
and all sorts of alcoholic bevemges in the restaurant . The applicant has submitted
that without such a licence the restaurant business in quesrion would not have been
profitable .
247
Subsequently, criminal proceedings on suspicion of tax offences were instituted
against Mrs . Flenman . She was however acquitted on 27 May 1983 by the District
Court (tingsrkuen) of Helsingborg . The prosecutor could not prove that the inac-
curacies in the book-keeping resulted from gross negligence or criminal intentions ;
either of these two prerequisites must be met before an act can be considered as an
offence (obstruction of tax control) within the meaning of Section 10 of the Act on
Tax Offences (skattebrottslagen)
. Before the District Court rendered its judgment . the applicant had, however .
by a decision given by the County Administrative Board on 7 January 1983 received
an admonition in accordance with Section 64 of the Act on the Sale of Beverages
(lagen ont handel med drycker, LHD) .
. the .Inthemai,o14Jnury9County
83 Administrative Board re-
newed the applicant's licence to be valid until funher notice .
On 13 July 1983 . upon the appeal from the Social Council, the National Board
of Health and Welfare (socialstyrelsen) decided to revoke the licence . In the decision
the following reasons are stated .
"Under Section 64 first paragraph of the Act on the Sale of Beverages (LHD)
the County Administrative Board shall revoke a licence to serve, or limit it to
concern, cenain beverages, inter alia if the provisions of LHD or the provisions
issued under it have not been complied with . If there is reason to believe that
satisfactory conditions could be achieved without such drastic measures, it is
possible to issue an admonition to the holder of the licence or to issue special
provisions . Under Section 64 second paragraph of LHD the same rules should
apply also in the cases when the holder of the licence cannot any longer be con-
sidered to be apt to rvn a business with alcoholic beverages or if the conditions
for granting a licénc'e are no longer at hand .
The provisions of Section 64 second paragraph of LHD are connected inter alia
to the requirement in Section 40 of the LHD that a new holder of a licence
should be suitable . This requirement of suitability has in practice been con-
sidered to comprise a requirement of pure personal suitability for selling
alcoholic beverages which is a task with great social responsibility . As regards
legal entities ihis requirement is applicable to those individuals who have a con-
siderable innuence on the business .
The unsuitability of the licence holder which leads to the licence to serve being
revoked may be of many different types . In the Bill 1981/82 : 143 page 82
ecunoniic mismanagement, in particular, even such as is not criminal, is men-
tioned as an exantple of such personal unsuitability .
248
According to Section 70 of LHD the bookkeeping of a business which concerns
the selling ol' alcoholic beverages should be such as to enable control of the
business . In the instant case the County Administrative Board refer to an audit
repon as basis for its decision . From this report it appears that the bookkeeping
of AB Cityktillaren has had deficiences on several points . For instance there
are differences to be found concerning recorded sale of beverages . The expla-
nations given by the company . inter alia of thefts of such beverages, show in
the opinion of ihe National Board of Health and Welfare that those who have
had a decisive influence on the business have demonstrated an inadequate com-
petence regarding both bookkeeping and internal control . Section 64 of LHD
is therefore applicable in this case .
The National Board of Health and Welfare finds that the deficiencies concern
the compliance with Section 70 of LHD and as regards suitability are of such
a nature that a nteasure other than revocation of the licence cannot be con-
.sidered . The fact that in the instant case the District Court has rejected the pro-
secution for obstruction of tax control does not affect this assessment .
In view of what has been said above the appeal is accepted . The National Board
of Health and Welfare annuls the appealed decision and refers the matter back
for new action . "
The applicant appealed to the National Board of Health and Welfare requesting
that the decision to revoke the licence should take effect as from I March 1984 . As
reasons the applicant stated that the applicable times of notice for the personnel
would create financial problents if a licence to sell alcoholic beverages until the end
of February was not granted
. The National Board of Health and Welfare, in its decision of 15 August 1983 .
rejected the appeal stating that in view of its previous decision there were no reasons
to depart from the main rule in Section 67 of LHD that decisions under that Act
should take effect immediately . This decision was not subject to appeal .
249
On 16 February 1984 the Government decided to refer the claim for compen-
sation to the Chancellor of Justice Oustitiekanslern) and not to take any measures in
the matter as regards the other issues .
On 5 March 1984 the Chancellor of Justice decided to reject the claim for com-
pensation, as there was no indication that any authority had made any mistake which
could niake the state liable under the Tort Liability Act (skadestdndslagen) .
The aim of Swedish policy as regards alcohol is to limit the total consumption
of alcohol and to counteract the abuse of alcohol and the resultant damage to health .
Restrictions on alcohol in Sweden are of long standing . As from 1895 restaurants
and bars serving alcoholic beverages have to be licensed, and in the early 1900s a
state monopoly was introduced for the wholesale and retail trading of alcohol . These
restrictions remain in force .
The present Act on the Sale of Beverages was introduced in 1977 and regulates
trading in beers . wines and spirits . It also stipulates rules for the service of these
beverages for consumption on the premises of restaurants and bars as well as the
issuing of licences for and inspection of these premises . The Act is supplemented by
a Decree on the Trading of Alcoholic Beverages (f6rordning 1977 :305 om handel
med drycker) .
Alcoholic beverages may only be served, if a licence has been issued (Section
34 of the Act) . Licences are only issued after an investigation into the need for the
serving of alcoholic beverages and the suitability of the applicant and the premises
(Section 40 of the Act)
. Licences are issued by Ihe County Administrative Board in the county wher e
the premises are situated . When the application concerns a new establishment for the
serving of alcoholic beverages the County Administrative Board has to consult the
local government board (konimunfullmïktige) and the local police authority before
a decision is taken . Even in cases concerning the transfer of licences to new owners,
extended serving-hours and the revocation of licences the County Administrative
Board may consult these local authorities .
The County Adntinistrative Board shall inform the local Social Welfare Board
of its decisions concerning the se rv ing of alcoholic beverages . It is therefore possible
for the local authorities to be kept informed of all questions concerning alcoholic
beverages and to appeal against the decisions of the Board if they are not in
agreement
. Appeals against the County Adminis trative Board are made to the National
Board of Health and Welfare . The decisions of the National Board in these matters
are final (Section 68 of the Act)
.250
The National Board of Health and Welfare supervises the observance of the Act
and the Decree at a national level . The local supervision of the observance of the
Acl and the Decree is entrusted to the County Administrative Board- the Social
Welfare Board and the police authorities . The Social Welfare Boards and the police
authorities shall inform the County Administrative Board of circumstances which
might be of importance in connection with the supervision of the Act .
Only the Board has authority to take actions in accordance with the Act .
According to the travaux préparatoires, the activity of the supervising authorities
shall mainly be consultative and preventive, and administrative means of compulsion
shall only be used to a limited extent .
Licences can be revoked - wholly or panly (limited to certain beverages) -
if ihc sale of alcoholic beverages causes inconvenience pertaining to order, sobriety
or public well-being or if the stipulations of the Act are not complied with . The same
also applies . if the licence holder is no longer believed to be suitable to sell alcoholic
beverages . If there is reason to suppose that acceptable conditions can be achieved
without resort to such action, the licence holder may be given an admonition (Section
64 of the Act) .
The licence holder ntay also be considered unsuitable under the definition of
the Act for econontic mismanagement, even if the sale of alcoholic beverages has
been carried out in conformity with the pertinent legislation . Only considerable
economic misnianagement is significant . Small tax debts or unpaid contributions do
not disqualify the licence holder .
COMPLAINT S
I . The applicant alleges that the decision to revoke Ihe licence is a violation of
Article I of Protocol No . I . It is submitted that the second paragraph of Article I
is not of any relevance in the case . The applicant submits that the administrative de-
cisions to revoke the licence was the only reason for the closing down of the activities
of the restaurant Le Cardinal .
251
2 . As ihere is no appeal against the decision of the National Board for Health and
Welfare the applicant submits that this constitutes a violation of Article 6 of the
Convention .
I . The applicant also contplains of the decision of the Chancellor of Justice and
alleges that this decision was a violation of Anicles 6 and 13 of the Convention .
THE LA W
1. The applicant has complained that the decision to revoke its licence to serve
beer, wine and alcoholic beverages constitutes a violation of Anicle I of Protocol
No . I . which reads : •
The Government have subniitted that the application is inadmissible for failure
to exhaust domestic rentedies . notably the possibility of initiating litigation against
the State . In the alternative, the Govemment have subntitted that a licence cannot
he regarded as a "possession" within the meaning of Article I of Protocol No . I .
and thai therefore the cotnplaint under this Article is incompatible ratione amreriae
with the provisions of the Convention . In any event . the Government maintain that
the application is inadmissible as being manifestly ill-founded within the meaning of
Anicle 27 para . 2 of the Convention .
The Government submit that the applicant has not exhausted domestic remedies
according to Article 26 nf the Convention . The Commission . however, considers
that the renudies available to the applicant were lintited in scope, compared with the
contplaints the applicant is making . The Commission . therefore . finds that these
were not rentedies which the applicant can, in the circutnstances of the case . be re-
quired to exhaust .
2 52
the effects on its restaurant business was compatible with the provisions of Article I
of Protocol No . I . These issues are of such a complex and important nature both
as regards facts and law that their determination should depend upon a further
examination of their merits . This aspect of the application is therefore admissible .
2 . The applicant has also alleged a violation of Article 6 of the Convention submit-
ting that it has had no possibility of having the revocation of the licence examined
by a coun .
"In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal
charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a
reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law ."
The Government have submitted that the revocation of the licence is an ad-
ministrative matter which the general courts cannot deal with . They submit in the
first place that the complaint falls outside the scope of A rt icle 6 . In the alternative
they submit that the complaint is manifestly ill-founded since the applicant could
have initiated litigation against the State under the Ton Liability Act before the
general courts . They also submit that the application is inadmissible for failure to
exhaust doniestic remedies, for the sante reason . The Contmission considers that the
issue of whether the possibility of bringing litigation against the State under the Tort
Liability Act is an effective remedy in regard to the revocation of the licence, is a
question which goes to the merits of the applicant's complaint under Article 6, and
should therefore not be determined under Article 26 .
The first issue to be decided in this case is whether the decision to revoke the
applicant's licence to serve alcoholic beverages was a"determination" of the appli-
cant's "civil rights or obligations" within the meaning of Article 6 para . I of the
Convention . If this were so, it would then have to be determined whether the appli-
cant had the possibility of bringing the revocation of his licence before a"tribunal"
satisfying the requirements of Anicle 6 para . I .
3 . The applicant has also alleged a violation of Articles I . 6 and 13 of the Conven-
tion in that the Government have not in their decision of 16 February 1984 accepted
the applicant's argunients based on the Convention . The Government have replied
that the Swedish authorities are not obliged to found their deliberations on the pro-
visions of the Convention .
The Convention does not lay down for the Contracting States any given manner
for ensuring within their internal law the effective implementation of the provision s
253
of the Convention (see inrer alia Eur . Court H .R ., Swedish Engine Drivers' Union
judgment of 6 February 1976 . Series A no . 20, para . 50) . The Commission also
recalls the following statement made by the Court (see Eur . Court H .R ., Ireland v .
the United Kingdonrjudgment of 18 January 1978 . Series A no . 25, para . 239) :
"By substituting the words 'shall secure' for the words 'undenake to secure'
in the text of Article I, the drafters of the Convention also intended to make
it clear that the rights and freedoms set out in Section I would be directly
secured to anyone within the jurisdiction of the Contracting States . . . That
intention finds a particularly faithful reflection in those instances where the
, Convention has been incorporated into domestic law . "
It follows that Sweden is not obliged to transform the text of the Convention
into Swedish law .
.
In view of the foregoing, and its conclusions above, the Commission considers
however that it is not necessary to make any separate finding in respect of this
complaint .
(TRADUCTION)
EN FAI T
Les faits de la cause peuvent se résumer comme suit .
La société requérante, Tre Traktdrer Aktiebolag, est une société anonyme dont
le siège esi à Helsingborg et dont l'unique actionnaire est Mm° Olga Flenman . La
société requérante est représentée devant la Commission par M . Gtiran Ravnsborg,
chargé d'enseignement à l'Université de Lund .
254
Sur la base d'informations communiquées par les services de police (polissty-
relsen) d'Helsingborg, le conseil administratif du comté (lïnsslyrelsen) souleva la
question de savoir si la société requérante devait étre autorisée à conserver sa
licence . La police indiqua en effet que l'actionnaire de la société était soupçonné
d'obstmction au contrôle fiscal . Ce soupçon se fondait sur un rapport de contrôle
comptable établi le 17 septembre 1981 par les services fiscaux du conseil administra-
tif du comté . Le rappon de contrôle comptable concerne la période du 1—juillet 1979
au 30juin 1980, sous la responsabilité de la société AB Citykàllaren . dont la proprié-
taire et actionnaire était Mm° Olga Flenntan . Ultérieurement . Mm' Flenntan devint
l'unique actionnaire de Tre Traktürer AB, la société requérante . Pendant cette
période . M"" Flenman a géré à diverses époques trois établissements différents, y
compris le restaurant « Le Cardinal - . L'inspection révéla diverses inexactitudes dans
la contptabilité, l'écart le plus important étant estinté à 100 .000 couronnes suédoises
(SEK) pour la période de mars à juin 1980 et concernant la vente de biéres, vins et
spiritueux dans ce restaurant . Le chiffre d'affaires total de AB Citykâllaren pour la
période en question s'élevait à 770 .000 SEK . L'affirmation de MmO Flenntan, selon
laquelle les boissons ntanquantes avaient été volées, ne fut pas considérée comme
une explication satisfaisante par les autorités . En conséquence, le revenu imposable
de Mme Flennian fut augnienté d'une sontme équivalant au montant de l'écan .
Par la suite, une procédure pénale ful engagée contre Mm' Flenman pour
infractions fiscales . L'accusée fut cependant acquittée le 27 mai 1983 par le tribunal
de district (tingsrëuen) d'Helsingborg . Le ministère public ne fut pas en mesure de
prouver que les inexactitudes de la comptabilité étaient le résultat d'une négligence
grave ou d'une intention délictuelle ; l'une ou l'autre de ces deux conditions préala-
bles dcvaient @tre remplies pour considérer qu'il s'agissait d'une infraction (obstruc-
tion au contrôle fiscal) au sens de l'anicle 10 de la loi sur les infractions fiscales
(skattebrotrslagen) .
Le 13juillet 1983, sur recours introduit par le conseil social, le conseil nationa l
de santé (socialstyrelsen) décida de révoquer la licence, en énonçant ainsi ses motifs :
255
n'a pas respecté les dispositions de la LHD ou de ses règlements d'application .
S'il y a lieu de penser que la situation pourrait s'améliorer sans ces mesures
draconiennes, le conseil peut adresser un avertissement au titulaire de la licence
ou prendre des dispositions spéciales . En vertu de l'anicle 64 par . 2 de la LHD,
les mèmes règles s'appliquent lorsque le titulaire de la licence ne peut plus être
considéré comme apte à gérer un débit de boissons alcoolisées ou que les condi-
tions d'octroi de la licence ne sont plus réunies . Les dispositions de l'anicle
64 par . 2 de la LHD sont liées notamment à la condition de•compétence que
doit remplir le nouveau titulaire selon l'article 40 de la mémeloi . L'usage est
de considérer cette condition de compétence comme recouvrant une exigence
de compétence personnelle pour vendre des boissons alcoolisées, activité
entrainant une grande responsabilité sociale . Dans une société, cette condition
s'applique aux personnes qui exercent sur l'affaire une influence décisive .
Cela étant, il est fait droit à l'appel . Le conseil national de santé annule la déci-
sion dont est appel et renvoie l'affaire pour décider de nouvelles mesures . ~
256
préavis applicables au personnel susciteraient des problèmes financiers si la licence
n'était pas valable jusqu'à la fin février .
Suite à ces décisions, le restaurant dut fermer ses portes le 19 juillet 1983 .
L'actuelle loi sur le commerce des boissons a été introduite en 1977 et règle-
mente le commerce des bières, vins et spiritueux . Elle régit également le débit de
ces boissons pour la consommation dans les restaurants et bars, la délivrance des
autorisations pour les servir, ainsi que l'inspection des locaux . La loi est complétée
par un décret sur le commerce des boissons alcoolisées (fôrordning 1977 : 305 om
handel med drycker) .
257
Les licences sont délivrées par le conseil administratif du comté où se situent
les locaux en question . Lorsque la requête concerne un établissement nouvellement
ouvert pour servir des boissons alcoolisées, le conseil administratif du comté doit
consulter le conseil municipal (kommunfullmàktige) et les services locaux de la
police avant de prendre une décision . Mème lorsqu'il s'agit de transférer la licence
à un nouveau propriétaire, d'allonger les heures de consommation ou de révoquer
la licence . le conseil administratif du comté peut consulter les autorités locales pré-
citées .
Le conseil administratif du comté doit informer le conseil social local de ses
décisions concernant les débitants de boissons alcoolisées . Les autorités locales ont
donc la possibilité d'étre tenues informées de toute question concernant les alcools
et de recourir contre les décisions du conseil si elles n'en sont pas d'accord .
Les recours formés contre les décisions du conseil administratif du comté relè-
vent du conseil national de santé, lequel tranche en dernier ressort (article 68 de la
loi) .
Les licences peuvent être révoquées - en tout ou en panie (pour certaines bois-
sons) - si la vente des boissons alcoolisées perturbe l'ordre, la sobriété ou le bien-
étre public ou si les disposilions de la loi ne sont pas respectées . Il en va de même
si le titulaire de la licence ne se révèle plus apte à vendre des boissons alcoolisées .
S'il y a lieu de supposer que l'on peut arriver à une situation acceptable sans recourir
à ce type de mesures, le titulaire de la licence se verra alors adresser un avenisse-
ntent (anicle 64 de la loi) .
258
délictuel ou méme délibéré . Une négligence grave dans l'accomplissement à la
légère de ces obligations économiques envers la société est égaletnent une raison suf-
lisame d'intervenir .
GRIEFS
I . La .aociété requérante allègue que la décision de révoquer la licence constitue
une violation de l'article I du Protocole additionnel . Elle fait valoir que le second
paragraphe de l'article I n'est pas applicable en l'espèce . Elle soutient aussi que les
décisions adntinistratives de révocation de l'autorisation ont élé l'unique raison de
la fernieture du restaurant • Le Cardinal . .
EN DROI T
259
.
Le Gouvemement a soutenu que la requéte est irrecevable pour non-épuisement
des voies de recours internes, vu notamment la possibilité d'intenter action contre
l'Etat . A titre subsidiaire, il a soutenu qu'une licence ne saurait être considérée
comme •un bien+ au sens de l'article I du Protocole additionnel et que, dès lors,
le grief tiré de cet article est incompatible ratione materiae avec les dispositions de
la Convention . Quoi qu'il en soit, le Gouvemement maintient que la requête est irre-
cevable pour défaut manifeste de fondement, au sens de l'article 27 par . 2 de la
Convention .
260
La pretnière question à trancher est celle de savoir si la décision de révoquer
la licence autorisant la société requérante à servir des boissons alcoolisées était une
•décision d'une contestation sur les droits et obligations de caractère civil• de la
société requérante, au sens de l'article 6 par . I de la Convention . Si tel était le cas,
il faudrait alors rechercher si la société requérante a eu la possibilité de saisir de la
révocation de sa licence un • tribunal • répondant aux exigences de l'article 6 par . I .
261