62019CJ0070_INF
Judgment of the Court (Eighth Chamber) of 9 July 2020 – Commission v HM
(Case C‑70/19 P) (
1
)
(Appeal – Civil service – Officials – Recruitment – Notice of competition EPSO/AST-SC/03/15 – Refusal to allow participation in the assessment tests – Request for review – Email of the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) – EPSO’s failure to send the request for review to the selection board of the competition – Ground for refusal – Out of time – Classification of EPSO’s email – Decision to reject the request for review – Powers – No legal basis – Setting aside)
1.
Officials – Competitions – European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) – Powers – Review of decisions of a competition selection board – Not included – Rejection by EPSO of a request for review of a decision of a selection board on the grounds that the request is out of time – Unlawfulness
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex III, Art. 7(2))
(see paras 76-80, 100, 102)
2.
Appeal – Grounds – Plea directed against a superfluous ground – Invalid plea in law – Rejection
(see para. 105)
3.
Actions brought by officials – Interest in bringing proceedings – Plea based on infringement of essential procedural requirements – Limited power of the administration – Invalid plea in law
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 91)
(see para. 119)
4.
Actions brought by officials – Time‑limits – Complaint lodged out of time – Burden of proof
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 91(3))
(see para. 123)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Sets aside the judgment of the General Court of the European Union of 21 November 2018, HM v Commission (T‑587/16, EU:T:2018:818);
2.
Refers the case back to the General Court of the European Union;
3.
Reserves the costs.
(
1
)	OJ C 164, 13.5.2019.