62021TJ0770_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 5 July 2023 –OC v EEAS
(Case T‑770/21) (
1
)
(Civil service – Officials – Staff of the EEAS – Psychological harassment – Article 12a of the Staff Regulations – Request for assistance – Refusal of the request – Article 24 of the Staff Regulations – Obligation to state reasons – Right to be heard – Concept of ‘psychological harassment’ – Manifest error of assessment – Duty to have regard for the welfare of staff)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Production of evidence – Time limit – Evidence lodged out of time – Conditions – Applicability to the evidence in rebuttal and the amplification of the offers of evidence submitted in response to evidence in rebuttal from the opposite party – Not included
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 85(1) and (3) and 92(7))
(see paragraph 44)
2.
Officials – Decision adversely affecting an official – Obligation to state reasons – Scope
(Art. 296 TFEU; Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 25, second para.)
(see paragraphs 53, 54)
3.
Officials – Rights and obligations – Internal inquiry into alleged psychological harassment – Right of the applicant for assistance to be heard – Limits
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 12a and 24)
(see paragraph 61)
4.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Concept – Conduct intended to discredit the person concerned or to impair his or her working conditions or having that effect – Improper nature of the conduct – Criteria for assessment – Examination of a number of events taken as a whole
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a(3))
(see paragraphs 75-77, 156, 158)
5.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Concept – Difficult or even conflicting relationships that the person concerned has with his or her colleagues or superiors – Precluded – Negative observations made to an official – Precluded – Conditions
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraphs 91, 97, 98, 105, 117, 126, 127, 136, 152, 155)
6.
Officials – Duty of the administration to have regard for the welfare of officials – Scope
(see paragraph 163)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders OC to pay the costs.
(
1
)	OJ C 51, 31.1.2022.