Name of the act/s*

VfGH 16.06.2020, V 432/2020 (decision)

Subject area

COVID 19; Art 45 EU Fundamental Rights Charter; Art 17 EU Fundamental Rights Charter, Art 1 1^st Additional Protocol to the ECHR

Brief description of the contents of the act

The applicant challenged the regulation of the minister of health (Verordnung des Bundesministers für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz über Maßnahmen bei der Einreise aus Nachbarstaaten, BGBl. II 87/2020, idF BGBl. II 92/2020, BGBl. II 104/2020, BGBl. II 111/2020, BGBl. II 129/2020, BGBl. II 149/2020, BGBl. II 195/2020, BGBl. II 218/2020, BGBl. II 233/2020, BGBl. II 242/2020 and BGBl. II 263/2020) regarding quarantine rules when entering Austria on the grounds of Art 139 Austrian Federal Constitutional Act.

Comment

The applicant is living in Austria and the owner of a sailing yacht in Croatia. The above-mentioned regulation foresaw a quarantine or a COVID-19 test for people entering Austria. This meant that in case the applicant traveled to Croatia to take care of his yacht he would have to undergo quarantine or do a COVID-19 test when coming back to Austria. The applicant claimed that the regulation was unconstitutional, because of an alleged violation in Art 45 EU FRC (freedom of movement) and Art 17 EU FRC, Art 1st Additional Protocol to the ECHR, Art 5 Basic Law on the General Rights of Nationals (property). Moreover, according to the applicant, the regulation did not distinguish between the epidemiological situation in different countries.

The Court dismissed the case on formal grounds (scope of appeal too narrow).

*Act citation /year and number

VfGH 16.06.2020, V 432/2020 (decision)

Enacted by

Constitutional Court

Official link to the text of the act

https://www.vfgh.gv.at/downloads/VfGH_Beschluss_V_432_2020.pdf