62019TJ0315_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 16 December 2020 –BT v Commission
(Case T‑315/19)
(Civil service – Officials – Surviving spouse – Survivor’s pension – Articles 18 and 20 of Annex VIII to the Staff Regulations – Conditions for eligibility – Duration of the marriage – Plea of illegality – Equal treatment – Principle of non-discrimination on grounds of age – Proportionality)
1.
Officials – Equal treatment – Concept – Comparability of the situations at issue – Criteria for assessment
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 20, 21(1) and 52(1))
(see paras 42-46)
2.
Officials – Pensions – Pension for surviving spouse – Conditions for granting – Discretion of the EU legislature – Judicial review – Scope
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex VIII, Arts 18 and 20)
(see para. 48)
3.
Officials – Pensions – Pension for surviving spouse – Conditions for granting – Minimum duration of marriage – Difference in the treatment of surviving spouses depending on whether they married before or after termination of the deceased official’s service – Condition putting those who married after the official’s retirement at a disadvantage – Difference in treatment based indirectly on the age of the former official – Not permissible – Justification – Fight against fraud and protection of the European Union’s financial interests – None
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex VIII, Arts 18 and 20)
(see paras 50-63, 66-70, 76-86, 90-92)
Re:
Application under Article 270 TFEU seeking annulment of the Commission’s decision of 20 July 2018 rejecting the applicant’s request for a survivor’s pension.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the European Commission of 20 July 2018 rejecting BT’s request for a survivor’s pension;
2.
Orders the Commission to pay, in addition to its own costs, the costs incurred by BT;
3.
Orders the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union each to bear their own costs;
4.
Orders the International Association of Former Officials of the European Union (AIACE International) to bear its own costs.