62021TJ0078_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 19 June 2024 –PV v Commission
(Case T‑78/21) (
1
)
(Civil service – Officials – Retirement pension – Conditions for eligibility – Unjustified absences – Unauthorised absences – Disciplinary proceedings – Psychological harassment – Liability – Material and non-material damage)
1.
Actions brought by officials – Act adversely affecting an official – Explicit decision rejecting the complaint – Decision taken after re-examining the applicant’s situation and on the basis of new information – Admissibility
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see paragraphs 36-38, 43)
2.
Actions brought by officials – Prior administrative complaint – Time limits – Public policy – Time-barred – Reopening – Condition – New and material fact – Concept – Limits
(Art. 270 TFEU; Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see paragraphs 49-55, 72, 73, 79, 82, 83, 223, 224, 228)
3.
Fundamental rights – Presumption of innocence – Scope
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 48; European Parliament and Council Directive 2016/343)
(see paragraphs 59, 60)
4.
Actions brought by officials – Prior administrative complaint – Submission of two complaints against the same measure adversely affecting an official – Admissibility of the first complaint submitted
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 90)
(see paragraph 88)
5.
Officials – Principles – Rights of the defence – Obligation to hear the person concerned before adopting a measure adversely affecting him or her – Scope – Decision refusing an early retirement pension – Decision adopted after hearing the official in the context of the pre-litigation procedure – No infringement of the right to be heard
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2); Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex VIII, Art. 9(b))
(see paragraphs 110-119)
6.
Officials – Unauthorised or unjustified absences – No annual leave remaining – Imposition of a salary deduction – Responsibility for drawing the consequences as regards retirement pension entitlement falling within the remit of the Office for the Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements (PMO)
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 59(1) and (3), 60 and 85)
(see paragraphs 128-141)
7.
Officials – Acts of the administration – Presumption of validity – Non-existent act – Definition – Fraudulent act in the form of a forged signature – Not included
(see paragraphs 149-151, 153-157, 162)
8.
Officials – Pensions – Retirement pensions – Conditions for granting – Minimum length of service – Deduction of unauthorised or unjustified absences from the period of service – Whether permissible – Deduction resulting in refusal to grant the pension on the ground of non-satisfaction of the minimum service condition – No infringement of the fundamental right of access to social security benefits
(Art. 3(3) TEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 34(1) and (2); Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 59, 60, 77 and 83a, and Annex VIII, Arts 2 and 3)
(see paragraphs 197, 198, 281-287, 291-294, 310)
9.
Officials – Unauthorised or unjustified absences – Removal from post, imposition of a salary deduction and suspension of the acquisition of pension rights in respect of the periods of absence – No infringement of the principle ne bis in idem and of the principle of the legality of criminal offences and penalties
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 50; Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 59(3), 60 and 77, and Annexes VIII, Arts 2 and 3, and IX, Art. 9(3))
(see paragraphs 207-218, 299)
10.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Definition – 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
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a(1) to (3))
(see paragraphs 238-242)
11.
Judicial proceedings – Res judicata – Decision of the EU courts finding an absence of acts constituting psychological harassment – Possibility of assessing facts subsequent to the handing down of the judgment in the light of the context prior thereto – Limits
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraphs 244, 245)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Declares that each party is to bear its own costs.
(
1
)	OJ C 431, 25.10.2021.