62020TJ0156_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 8 September 2021 –JA v Parliament
(Case T‑156/20)
(Civil service – Members of the temporary staff – Political group – Dismissal – Manifest error of assessment – Misuse of powers – Right to be heard – Equal treatment – Duty to have regard for the welfare of officials – Principle of sound administration – Liability)
1.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Members of the temporary staff falling under Article 2(c) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants – Member of the temporary staff assigned to a political group in the Parliament – Dissolution of the political group – Consequence – Termination of the contract – No obligation for the Parliament to reassign the person concerned to a new group
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 2(c); Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament, Arts 33 and 34(3))
(see paras 17-24, 116, 117)
2.
Judicial proceedings – Measures of organisation of procedure – Request for production of documents – Discretion of the EU judicature – Duties of the person making the request
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 88(2) and 89(3)(d))
(see paras 47-49, 127)
3.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Members of the temporary staff falling under Article 2(c) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants – Employment by a political group within the Parliament – Discretionary power of that group – Rejection of application – No obligation of the Secretary-General of the Parliament to hear the person concerned
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 2(c))
(see paras 100-103, 117)
4.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Members of the temporary staff falling under Article 2(c) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants – Member of the temporary staff assigned to a political group in the Parliament – Breakdown in the relationship of trust – Possibility of dismissal
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 2(c))
(see para. 122)
5.
Actions brought by officials – Plea alleging infringement of the principle of equal treatment – Reversal of the burden of proof – Conditions
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 1d(1); Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 10(1) and (5))
(see paras 123, 124)
Re:
Application under Article 270 TFEU for, first, annulment of the Parliament’s decision of 4 July 2019 to terminate the applicant’s contract as a member of the temporary staff and, second, compensation for the non-material harm which the applicant allegedly suffered as a result of that decision.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders JA to pay the costs.