62023TJ1123_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 29 January 2025 –Meucci v Parliament and EEAS
(Case T‑1123/23)
(Civil service – Officials – Leaving the service – Automatic retirement – Request for maintenance in service beyond the retirement age – Limitation of the duration of maintenance in service beyond the retirement age – Obligation to state reasons – Manifest error of assessment – Interest of the service – Legal certainty – Legitimate expectations – Duty to have regard for the welfare of officials)
1.
Officials – Automatic retirement – Examination of a request to remain in service – Request made by an official having already reached retirement age – Belated application – Impossibility for the appointing authority to authorise his or her maintenance in service – Interest of the service in maintaining him or her in service – Irrelevant
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 52, first para., point (a), and second para.)
(see paragraphs 36-42)
2.
Officials – Secondment in the interest of the service – Official having reached the automatic retirement age – Obligation for the appointing authority to terminate the secondment – Interest of the service in maintaining that secondment – Irrelevant
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 37, first para., point (a))
(see paragraph 43)
3.
Officials – Principles – Legal certainty – Acts of the administration – Requirements of clarity and foreseeability
(see paragraph 48)
4.
Officials – Automatic retirement – Renewal of the authorisation to remain in service beyond retirement age – Promises – Disregard of provisions of the Staff Regulations – Legitimate expectations – No such expectations
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 52, third para.)
(see paragraphs 50, 61)
5.
Officials – Duty of the administration to have regard for the welfare of officials – Scope – Request to remain in service beyond retirement age –Taking into consideration of official’s interests – Limits
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 52, second para.)
(see paragraphs 67-69, 72)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Mr Paolo Meucci to pay the costs, including those relating to the interim proceedings.