62022CO0071_INF
Order of the Court (Seventh Chamber) of 29 September 2022 –CX v Commission
(Case C‑71/22 P)
(Appeal – Article 181 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice – Civil service – Official – Investigation by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) – Unauthorised and clandestine negotiation of a contract – Conflict of interests – Disciplinary measure – Removal from post – Right to be heard – Repeated absence of the applicant and his lawyer from the disciplinary hearing – Distortion of the evidence – Duty of the European Commission to have regard for the welfare of its staff – Obligation to state reasons – Principle ne bis in idem – Reasonable time – Appeal in part manifestly inadmissible and in part manifestly unfounded)
1.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Procedure – Hearing of the official concerned by the appointing authority – Lack of attendance by the official concerned on the basis of a medical certificate – Presumption of incapacity to enter an appearance – Rebuttable – Burden of proof – Possibility for the official concerned to be represented or to submit written comments
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 41(2)(a), 51(1) and 52(1); Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Arts 4 and 22(1))
(see paragraphs 5 [16, 40, 45], 6)
2.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Procedure – Decision of the appointing authority imposing a disciplinary penalty without first hearing the person concerned – Lack of a prior hearing attributable to the official concerned – Legality
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Art. 7, third para.)
(see paragraphs 5 [36-38], 6)
3.
Judicial proceedings – Introduction of new pleas during the proceedings – Conditions – Application to the proceedings after reference back following an appeal
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 35(1)(d) and (e))
(see paragraphs 5 [73], 6)
Operative part
1.
The appeal is dismissed as being, in part, manifestly inadmissible and, in part, manifestly unfounded.
2.
CX shall bear his own costs.