Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 8 October 2025 – CQ v EESC
(Case T‑117/24)
( Civil service – Officials – Psychological harassment – Administrative inquiry – Article 12a of the Staff Regulations – Request for assistance – Rejection of the request – Article 24 of the Staff Regulations – Obligation to state reasons – Impartiality – Right to be heard – Length of the administrative procedure – Reasonable time limit – Error of assessment – Liability – Non-material damage )
1.      Officials – Decision to close without further action an administrative investigation opened in response to a request for assistance in respect of psychological harassment – Obligation to state reasons – Scope
(Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(c); Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 12a and 25)
(see paragraphs 42-47)
2.      Officials – Obligation of the administration to provide assistance – Implementation in the case of psychological harassment – Decision of the administration – Requirement of impartiality – Scope – Prior knowledge of the facts by a person called upon to participate in the adoption of a decision – Fact not in itself constituting a breach of the requirement of impartiality
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41; Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraphs 55-57, 63, 73, 74, 77)
3.      Actions brought by officials – Pleas in law– Plea in law alleging breach of the requirement of impartiality – Burden of proof
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41; Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraphs 58, 77)
4.      Officials – Rights and obligations – Internal inquiry into alleged psychological harassment – Right of the person requesting assistance to have access to the file relating to the inquiry – Limits
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(b); Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 12a and 24)
(see paragraphs 83-88, 93, 105-114)
5.      Officials – Obligation of the administration to provide assistance – Scope – Duty of the administration to examine complaints of harassment – Duty to act within a reasonable time – Scope
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2); Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 12a and 24)
(see paragraphs 119-123, 129, 135, 136, 140)
6.      Officials – Rights and obligations – Internal inquiry into alleged psychological harassment – Administration’s discretion – Scope – Judicial review – Limits
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 12a and 24, first para.)
(see paragraphs 160-165, 171, 172, 175, 179, 181)
7.      Officials – Obligation of the administration to provide assistance – Scope – Duty of the administration to examine complaints of harassment – Duty of confidentiality – Scope
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraphs 185, 186)
8.      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 – Taking account of professional difficulties encountered by the complainant – Whether permissible
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a(3))
(see paragraphs 202-206, 260, 264-266)
9.      Officials – Psychological harassment – Concept – Opinions of medical experts – Fact not in itself determinative of the existence of psychological harassment
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a(3))
(see paragraph 243)
Operative part
The Court:
1.      Dismisses the action;
2.      Orders CQ to pay the costs.