62016TJ0401_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 9 September 2020 –Spain and Italy v Commission
(Case T‑401/16)
(Language regime – Notice of open competitions for the recruitment of Investigators and Team leaders – Language skills – Limitation of the choice of second language in the competitions to German, English and French – Eliminatory language-comprehension test in English – Language of communication – Regulation No 1 – Article 1d(1), Article 27 and Article 28(f) of the Staff Regulations – Discrimination based on language – Justification – Interests of the service – Proportionality)
1.
Action for annulment – Pleas in law – Lack of or inadequate statement of reasons – Separate ground from the one concerning substantive legality
(Art. 263 TFEU)
(see para. 51)
2.
European Union – Language regime – Regulation No 1 – Scope – Relations between the institutions and their staff – Included in the absence of specific regulations
(Council Regulation No 1, Arts 1 and 6)
(see paras 59, 60)
3.
Officials – Competitions – Holding of an open competition – Languages of participation in tests – Limitation of the choice of second language – Discrimination based on language – Justification having regard to the interests of the service – Observance of the principle of proportionality
(Staff Regulations, Art. 1d(1) and (6), Arts 27 and 28(f), and Annex III, Art. 1(1)(f); Council Regulation No 1, Art. 1)
(see paras 61-65, 69-72, 94, 95)
4.
Officials – Competitions – Holding of an open competition – Languages of participation in tests – Limitation of the choice of second language – Judicial review – Scope
(Staff Regulations, Art. 1d)
(see paras 96, 97)
5.
Officials – Competitions – Holding of an open competition – Languages of participation in tests – Limitation of the choice of second language – Discrimination based on language – Justification based on budgetary and operational constraints – Justification based on the nature of the selection procedure – Not permissible
(Staff Regulations, Art. 1d(1) and (6), Arts 27 and 28(f), and Annex III, Art. 1(1)(f); Council Regulation No 1, Art. 1)
(see paras 101, 103, 105)
6.
Officials – Competitions – Holding of an open competition – Languages of participation in tests – Limitation of the choice of second language – Discrimination based on language – Justification based on the interest of the service in recruiting staff that are operational immediately – Not permissible
(Staff Regulations, Art. 1d(1) and (6), Arts 27 and 28(f), and Annex III, Art. 1(1)(f); Council Regulation No 1, Art. 1)
(see paras 108, 114-116, 157-159, 181, 202-206)
7.
Officials – Competitions – Holding of an open competition – Languages of communication between the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) and the candidates – Restriction – Justification based on the need to ensure swift and efficient communication and to compare candidates fairly – Whether permissible – Condition – Interest of the service in recruiting staff that are operational immediately
(Staff Regulations, Art. 1d(1) and (6); Council Regulation No 1, Arts 1 and 2)
(see paras 223-226, 229-231)
8.
Actions brought by officials – Judgment annulling a measure – Effects – Annulment of a notice of open competition – Legitimate expectations of the candidates selected – No effect on candidates already recruited
(Art. 266 TFEU)
(see paras 236, 241, 242)
9.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Findings – Alteration once proceedings have been started – Condition
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 86)
(see para. 239)
Re:
Application based on Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of the notice of open competitions EPSO/AD/323/16 for the constitution of reserve lists of administrators performing the duties of investigators (AD 7) for the following profiles: ‘1 – Investigators: EU expenditure, anti-corruption – 2 – Investigators: Customs and trade, tobacco and counterfeited goods’ and EPSO/AD/324/16 for the constitution of a reserve list of administrators performing the following duties: ‘Investigators (AD 9): Team leaders’ (OJ 2016 C 187 A, p. 1).
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the notice of open competitions EPSO/AD/323/16 for the constitution of reserve lists of administrators performing the duties of investigators (AD 7) for the following profiles: ‘1 – Investigators: EU expenditure, anti-corruption – 2 – Investigators: Customs and trade, tobacco and counterfeited goods’ and EPSO/AD/324/16 for the constitution of a reserve list of administrators performing the following duties: ‘Investigators (AD 9): Team leaders’;
2.
Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the Kingdom of Spain in Case T‑401/16, and those incurred by the Italian Republic in Case T‑443/16.