62018TJ0077_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 23 September 2020 –VE v ESMA
(Cases T‑77/18 and T‑567/18)
(Civil service – Members of the temporary staff – Contract for an indefinite period – Appraisal report – 2016 appraisal exercise – Plea of illegality relating to the appraisal manual – Manifest error of assessment – Assessment of activities undertaken as staff representative – Procedural irregularity – Termination of the employment contract – Insufficient performance during a period of two years)
1.
Actions brought by officials – Action against a decision rejecting a complaint – Effect – Disputed measure referred to the Court – Exception – Decision not confirmatory in character
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90(2) and 91; Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, Art. 46)
(see paras 45, 46)
2.
Actions brought by officials – Staff report – Prior administrative complaint – Optional – Submission – Consequences – Compliance with the procedural constraints associated with complaints through official channels
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see para. 47)
3.
Actions brought by officials – Plea of illegality – Scope – Measures the illegality of which may be pleaded – General measure providing the basis of the contested decision – Appraisal manual adopted by an agency – Admissibility
(Art. 277 TFEU; Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 110(2))
(see paras 55-57)
4.
Officials – Reports procedure – Internal directive of an institution – Legal effects – Limits – Observation of the hierarchy of norms
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 43)
(see paras 65, 67-69)
5.
Officials – Reports procedure – Appraisal report – Discretion of reporting officers – Judicial review – Limits
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 43)
(see paras 90-92)
6.
Officials – Representation – Constraints associated with performance of duties as staff representative – Taken into account when appraisal report drawn up – Obligations of the reporting officers
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 43; Annex II, Art. 1, sixth para.)
(see paras 171, 172)
7.
Officials – Reports procedure – Appraisal report – Drawing up – Officials performing duties as a staff representative – System established by the Commission – Duties of reporting officers – Taking into account the opinions of the ad hoc assessment group – Non-existence of that group – Consequences – Annulment of the report – Conditions
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 43; Annex II, Art. 1, sixth para.)
(see paras 173-176, 190-195)
8.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Termination of a contract concluded for an indefinite period – Administration’s discretion – Judicial review – Limits – Manifest error of assessment – Concept
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 47(c)(i))
(see paras 205-213)
9.
Actions brought by officials – Actions for damages – Annulment of the illegal act in dispute – Whether appropriate reparation for non-material damage – Appraisal report not containing assessments capable of harming the interested party or damaging his or her reputation
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 91)
(see paras 224, 225)
10.
Actions brought by officials – Actions for damages – Annulment of the illegal act in dispute – Whether appropriate reparation for non-material damage – Unlawful dismissal of a staff member in the absence of special circumstances
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 91)
(see paras 227, 228)
Re:
Applications based on Article 270 TFEU seeking, first, annulment of the applicant’s appraisal report for the period from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016, of the decision of 14 November 2017 terminating his temporary agent contract and of the decisions rejecting his complaints against those acts and, second, compensation for the non-material damage which the applicant claims to have suffered.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Joins Cases T‑77/18 and T‑567/18 for the purposes of the judgment;
2.
Annuls VE’s appraisal report for the period from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016;
3.
Annuls the decision of 14 November 2017 terminating VE’s temporary agent contract;
4.
Dismisses the actions as to the remainder;
5.
Orders the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to pay the costs.