62020TJ0119_INF
Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 14 July 2021 –IN v EISMEA
(Case T‑119/20)
(Civil service – Members of the temporary staff – Fixed-term contract – Decision not to renew – Appraisal – Right to be heard – Duty to have regard for the welfare of officials – Manifest error of assessment – Reasonable time – Liability – Non-material damage)
1.
Actions brought by officials – Action against a decision rejecting a complaint – Effect – Disputed measure referred to the Court – Exception – Decision not confirmatory in character – Account taken of the reasoning therein
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see paras 38-41)
2.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Recruitment – Non-renewal of a fixed-term contract – Concept of decision adversely affecting an official concerning non-renewal of a contract – Decision adopted without first giving the interested party the opportunity to comment – Infringement of the right to be heard
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2))
(see paras 52-57, 66, 70, 75)
3.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Recruitment – Renewal of a fixed-term contract – Administration’s discretion – Duty of the administration to have regard for the welfare of officials – Account taken of the interests of the staff member concerned – Judicial review – Limits – Manifest error of assessment – Meaning
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 8)
(see paras 86-89, 132, 133, 178)
4.
EU law – Principles – Duty to act within a reasonable time – Infringement in an administrative procedure – Effects
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(1))
(see paras 159, 171)
5.
Officials – Principles – Protection of legitimate expectations – Conditions – Specific assurances given by the authorities
(see para. 173)
6.
Officials – Reports procedure – Appraisal report – Discretion of assessors – Judicial review – Limits – Manifest error of assessment – Meaning
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 43)
(see paras 189-191, 197)
7.
Officials – Non-contractual liability of the institutions – Conditions – Damage – Non-material damage relating to a staff member’s prolonged uncertainty in respect of the renewal of his or her contract
(Art. 340, second para., TFEU)
(see paras 216-218, 223, 224)
8.
Actions brought by officials – Application for damages linked to an application for annulment – Dismissal of application for annulment leading to dismissal of the application for damages
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see para. 219)
Re:
Application under Article 270 TFEU for, first, annulment of the decision of the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) of 15 April 2019 not to renew the applicant’s contract and of the latter’s appraisal for the year 2018 as finalised on 3 June 2019 and, second, compensation for the damage allegedly suffered by the applicant.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Orders the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA) to pay to IN the amount of EUR 3000;
2.
Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
3.
Orders each party to bear their own respective costs.