Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 15 February 2023 – Freixas Montplet and Others v Committee of the Regions
(Case T‑260/22) (1)
(Civil service – Officials – Promotion – 2021 promotion exercise – Decision not to place the applicant’s name on the list of officials eligible for promotion – Date of assessment of seniority in grade – Article 45(1) of the Staff Regulations – Equal treatment)
1.      Actions brought by officials – Act adversely affecting an official – Definition – Measures producing binding legal effects – List of officials eligible for promotion, not including the name of the person concerned – Included
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 45(1), 90(2) and 91(1))
(see paragraphs 18, 19, 22, 23)
2.      Officials – Promotion – Conditions – Minimum seniority in the grade – Adoption of internal rules specifying the arrangements for calculating the period – Administration’s discretion – Limits – Judicial review – Scope
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 45(1))
(see paragraphs 36-40)
3.      Officials – Promotion – Conditions – Minimum seniority in the grade – Date to be taken into consideration – Date set by the administration as 1 January of the year of the promotion exercise – Whether permissible – Use by other institutions of a different date – Irrelevant
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 45(1))
(see paragraphs 45-48)
4.      Officials – Promotion – Conditions – Minimum seniority in the grade – Date to be taken into consideration – Date set by the administration as 1 January of the year of the promotion exercise – Different salaries for officials appointed or reclassified at the beginning of a given year and those appointed or reclassified during that year – Breach of the principle of equal treatment – Absence
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 45(1))
(see paragraphs 55-59)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Mr David Freixas Montplet, Mr Gustavo López Cutillas, Ms Valeria Schirru and Mr Svetlozar Andreev to bear their own costs and pay those incurred by the Committee of the Regions.
1 OJ C 244, 27.6.2022.