62019TJ0519_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber, Extended Composition) of 10 February 2021 – Forte v Parliament
(Case T‑519/19)
(Institutional law – 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 Italian Chamber of Deputies, Italy) of Decision No 14/2018, on pensions – Adjustment of the amount of pensions for Italian national deputies – Corresponding amendment by the European Parliament of 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 – Proportionality – Equal treatment)
1.
Action for annulment – Actionable measures – Concept – National decision of a Chamber of Deputies changing the amount of the pensions of former national Members of Parliament – Not included – Note and decision of the Directorate-General for Finances of the European Parliament concerning the change in the amount of the pension of a former Member of the European Parliament, in accordance with that national decision – Included
(Art. 263 TFEU; 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 paras 50, 51, 53)
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 pension of a former Member of the European Parliament – Change carried out in application of the identical pension rule and relevant national rules – No margin of discretion as to the method of calculating that pension – No obligation to carry out a detailed verification of the compatibility of the relevant national rules with the general principles and other provisions of EU law
(Art. 296, second para. TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(c); 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 paras 59, 60, 66-70)
3.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based – Abstract statement – Inadmissibility
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para. and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d))
(see para. 75)
4.
European Parliament – Regulation 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 pension of a former Member of the European Parliament – Pension rights acquired before the entry into force of the Statute – No guarantee as to the immutability of the amount of pensions
(Decision of the European Parliament 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 paras 78-82, 84-86)
5.
European Parliament – Regulation 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 pension of a former Member of the European Parliament – Identical pension rule – Non-retroactivity – Principle of legal certainty – Infringement – Absence
(Decision of the European Parliament 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 paras 95-103)
6.
European Parliament – Regulation 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 pension of a former Member of the European Parliament – Principle of the protection of legitimate expectations – Infringement – None
(Decision of the European Parliament 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 paras 109-113)
7.
European Parliament – Regulation 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 pension of a former Member of the European Parliament – Restriction of the right to property – Breach of principle of proportionality – None
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 17(1); Decision 2005/684 of the European Parliament; 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 paras 119-123, 126, 128-130, 133-141)
Re:
Application based on Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of the note of 11 June 2019 prepared by the Parliament relating to the adjustment of the amount of the pension received by the applicant upon the entry into force, on 1 January 2019, of Decision No 14/2018 of the Ufficio di Presidenza della Camera dei deputati.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Mr Mario Forte to bear his own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Parliament.