CEDH · PRESS;GENERAL;ENG — 21 septembre 1999

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GREECE   Tuesday, 21 September 1999, at 9 a.m.     The applicants     The case concerns an application (application no. 38786/97) brought by eight private schools based in Athens: Douka Schools, Moraïti School, Erasmus Greek Germanic School, V. Kargakou Schools, Ev.   Plafoutzi Schools, Michalopouleion, Paraskevopoulou-Zachopoulos, M. Petraki-Valsamidou and Co. Schools, and Plato Schools. Subsequently, the Erasmus Greek Germanic School declared that it was withdrawing from the proceedings before the Court.   Summary of the facts     The applicant schools’ complaint concerns section 38 of Law No. 2496/1997, which precluded increases in private school fees for the 1996-1997 school year exceeding 7% of the fees charged for 1995-1996. The schools say that the actual increase in running costs was 13.25%. They also complain that the Law was brought into force with retrospective effect in May 1997, by which time they had already incurred expenditure on the assumption that they would be able to raise their fees by 13.25%. They maintained that they had shown a deficit as a result.   Complaints     The schools complain that the regulation of school fees for the 1996-1997 school year by Law no. 2496/1997 amounts to an infringement of their right to the peaceful enjoyment of their possessions guaranteed under Article 1 of Protocol No.1 to the European Convention on Human Rights. In particular, they note that school fees provide most of their income and, consequently, are therefore essential for them to operate.   They also complain that they had no effective remedy within the meaning of Article   13 of the Convention regarding the regulation of school fees by Law no 2496/1997 or to defend their financial interests.   Procedure     The application was lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights on 5   November 1997. On 1 November 1998, following the entry into force of Protocol No.11 to the Convention, the case was transmitted to the Court.     The hearing before the Court concerns both the admissibility and the merits of the application. After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private. The decision on admissibility will be delivered at a later date.   Composition of the Court     The case will be heard by a Chamber composed as follows:   Marc Fischbach (Luxemburger), President , Christos Rozakis (Greek), Giovanni Bonello (Maltese), Viera Strážnická (Slovakian), Peer Lorenzen (Danish), András Baka (Hungarian), Egils Levits (Latvian), Judges , Benedetto Conforti (Italian), Margarita Tsatsa-Nikolovska (FYROMacedonia), Substitute Judges , and also Erik Fribergh , Section Registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government:     Phokion Georgakopoulos, Agent ,     Kyriaki Gigoriou , Counsel , Adviser ;   Applicant schools:   Nikos Alivizatos , Counsel , Eleoussa Kioussopoulou , Counsel ,       Spyros Papas , Adviser.   Chryssanti Moraiti-Kartali and Athanassios Zahopoulos will also attend the hearing as representatives of the applicant schools.       Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Contacts:   Roderick Liddell (telephone: (0)3 88 41 24 92) or   Emma Hellyer (telephone: (0)3 90 21 42 15) Fax: (0)3 88 41 27 91     The European Court of Human Rights was set up in 1959 in Strasbourg to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. On 1 November 1998 a full-time Court was established, replacing the original two-tier system of a part-time Commission and Court.