62023TO0375_INF
Order of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 20 March 2025 –Di Prinzio v Parliament
(Case T‑375/23)
(Law governing the institutions – Single Statute for Members of the European Parliament – Members of the European Parliament elected in Italian constituencies – Adoption by the Ufficio di Presidenza della Camera dei deputati (Office of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Italy) of Decision No 150/2022 on pensions – Change in the amounts of the pensions of members of the Italian parliament – Corresponding change, by the European Parliament, in the amount of the pensions of certain former Members of the European Parliament elected in Italy – Competence of the author of the act – Obligation to state reasons – Acquired rights – Legal certainty – Legitimate expectations – Right to property – Manifest lack of jurisdiction in part – Action in part manifestly lacking any basis in law)
1.
European Parliament – Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament – Single Statute for Members of the European Parliament – Decision of the Directorate-General for Finances of the European Parliament concerning the change in the amount of the pensions of former Members of the European Parliament – Need for the decision to be adopted by the Bureau of the Parliament – None – Prior verification, by the Directorate-General for Finances, of whether a national decision on the calculation of pensions, adopted before the decision of the Parliament, is compatible with EU law – Whether permissible
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2018/1046, Art. 111(1), third subpara.; Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament, Art. 25(3))
(see paragraphs 23-28)
2.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Decision of the Directorate-General for Finances of the European Parliament concerning the change in the amount of the pensions of former Members of the European Parliament
(Art. 296, second para., TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(c))
(see paragraphs 32-40)
3.
Fundamental rights – Charter of Fundamental Rights – Principle that offences and penalties must be defined by law – Scope – Change in the amount of the pensions of former Members of the European Parliament – Not included
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 49)
(see paragraph 41)
4.
European Parliament – Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament – Single Statute for Members of the European Parliament – Decision of the Directorate-General for Finances of the European Parliament concerning the change in the amount of the pensions of former Members of the European Parliament – Change carried out in application of the identical pension rule – Pension rights acquired before the entry into force of the Statute – No guarantee as to the immutability of the amount of pensions
(European Parliament Decision 2005/684; Decision of the Bureau of the Parliament concerning implementing measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament, Art. 75; Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament, Annex III, Art. 2(1))
(see paragraphs 45, 46)
5.
European Parliament – Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament – Single Statute for Members of the European Parliament – Decision of the Directorate-General for Finances of the European Parliament concerning the change in the amount of the pensions of former Members of the European Parliament – Identical pension rule – Non-retroactivity – Principle of legal certainty – Breach – None
(European Parliament Decision 2005/684; Decision of the European Parliament on implementing measures for the Statute for Members, Art. 75; Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament, Annex III, Art. 2(1))
(see paragraphs 50-56)
6.
European Parliament – Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament – Single Statute for Members of the European Parliament – Decision of the Directorate-General for Finances of the European Parliament concerning the change in the amount of the pensions of former Members of the European Parliament – Principle of the protection of legitimate expectations – Breach – None
(European Parliament Decision 2005/684; Decision of the European Parliament on implementing measures for the Statute for Members, Art. 75; Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament, Annex III, Art. 2(1))
(see paragraphs 58-60)
7.
European Parliament – Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament – Single Statute for Members of the European Parliament – Decision of the Directorate-General for Finances of the European Parliament concerning the change in the amount of the pensions of former Members of the European Parliament – Restriction of the right to property – Breach of the principle of proportionality – None
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 17; European Parliament Decision 2005/684; Decision of the European Parliament on implementing measures for the Statute for Members, Art. 75; Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members of the European Parliament, Annex III, Art. 2(1))
(see paragraphs 62-67)
Operative part
1.
The action is dismissed as being in part manifestly outside the jurisdiction of the General Court, and in part manifestly lacking any basis in law.
2.
Ms Clara Di Prinzio shall bear, in addition to her own costs, those incurred by the European Parliament.