62019TJ0173_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 11 November 2020 –AV and AW v Parliament
(Case T‑173/19)
(Civil service – Officials – Reimbursement of medical expenses – OLAF investigation – Article 85 of the Staff Regulations – Recovery of undue payments)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Objection of inadmissibility – Power of the General Court to dismiss an action on the merits without ruling on the objection of inadmissibility – Extent of its discretion
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 126 and 130)
(see paras 42, 43)
2.
Actions brought by officials – Action against a decision rejecting a complaint – Admissibility – Obligation to rule on claims directed against the decision rejecting the complaint – Claims lacking independent content or purely confirmatory decision – None
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see paras 44, 45)
3.
Judicial proceedings – Introduction of new pleas during the proceedings – Conditions – Plea based on matters which have come to light in the course of the procedure – None – Amplification of an existing plea – No amplification – Inadmissibility
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 84(1))
(see paras 52, 53)
4.
EU budget – Financial regulation – Recovery of debts due to the Union from third parties – Observance of the rights of the defence – Informing the debtor, before the adoption of the recovery decision, of the existence and amount of the debt – Infringement – None
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41; Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 85; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 966/2012, Arts 78(1) and 80; Commission Regulation No 1268/2012, Art. 81)
(see paras 59-72)
5.
Officials – Recovery of undue payments – Conditions – Patent overpayment – Knowledge of the person concerned – Criteria
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 85)
(see paras 85-88, 92, 127, 128)
6.
Officials – Recovery of undue payments – Limitation period – Member of staff having deliberately misled the administration – Limitation period not enforceable against the administration
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 11 and 85, second para.)
(see paras 106-110, 133)
7.
Officials – Administration's duty to have regard for the interests of officials – Principle of sound administration – Scope – Taking into account of official’s interests
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41)
(see paras 119, 126)
8.
EU law – Principles – Duty to act within a reasonable time – Infringement in an administrative procedure – Effects
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(1))
(see paras 131, 132, 141-144)
9.
Officials – Recovery of undue payments – Invocation of misuse of powers in respect of a validly adopted recovery decision – Lack of discretion by the institution concerned – Rejection
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 85)
(see paras 150-155)
Re:
Application under Article 270 TFEU seeking the annulment of the decisions of the Parliament of 23 July and 1 August 2018 recovering from one applicant the sum of EUR 5289 and from the other applicant the sum of EUR 3880, on the ground of undue payment having been made to them as reimbursement of medical expenses.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders each party to bear its own costs.