62021TJ0072_INF
Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber, Extended Composition) of 23 November 2022 – Bowden and Young v Europol
(Case T‑72/21) (
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)
(Civil service – Members of the temporary staff – Europol staff – Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union – Loss of nationality of a Member State – Termination of contract – Article 47(b)(iii) of the CEOS – Request for an exception from the condition of employment provided for in Article 12(2)(a) of the CEOS – Refusal to grant an exception – Obligation to state reasons – Right to be heard – Length of the administrative procedure – Reasonable time – Legitimate expectations – Equal treatment – Interest of the service – Duty of care – Manifest error of assessment)
1.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Early termination of a fixed-term contract by notice – Justification based on loss of nationality of a Member State – Obligation to state reasons – Scope
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 47(b)(iii))
(see paragraphs 40-43, 51, 52, 59)
2.
Acts of the institutions – Internal directives – Legal effects
(see paragraph 44)
3.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Recruitment – Conditions – Possession of the nationality of a Member State – Possibility of derogation – Restrictive interpretation
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 12(2)(a))
(see paragraph 56)
4.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Early termination of a fixed-term contract by notice – Justification based on loss of nationality of a Member State – Right to be heard – Scope – Infringement – Conditions
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2); Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Arts 12(2)(a) and 47(b)(iii))
(see paragraphs 79-82, 84, 91, 92)
5.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Recruitment – Conditions – Possession of the nationality of a Member State – Possibility of derogation – Consideration by the administration – Duty to act within a reasonable time – Criteria for assessment
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(1); Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 12(2)(a))
(see paragraphs 103, 106-110)
6.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Recruitment – Conditions – Possession of the nationality of a Member State – Possibility of derogation – Taking into account of the interest of the service
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 12(2)(a))
(see paragraphs 111, 112, 165)
7.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Recruitment – Conditions – Possession of the nationality of a Member State – Possibility of derogation – Evaluation criteria – Obligation to adopt a general implementing provision and follow the approach of other institutions – None – Notification of the criteria by an email to staff – Whether permissible
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Arts 12(2)(a) and 141)
(see paragraphs 116-120, 169)
8.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Early termination of a fixed-term contract by notice – Justification based on loss of nationality of a Member State – Duty of the administration to have regard for the welfare of officials – Scope – Taking into consideration of the interests of the staff member concerned and those of the service – Limits – Obligation to consider the possibility of reassigning the staff member concerned – None
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Arts 12(2)(a) and 47(b)(iii))
(see paragraphs 138, 140-143)
9.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Early termination of a fixed-term contract by notice – Justification based on loss of nationality of a Member State – Administration’s discretion – Interests of the service – Judicial review – Limits – Manifest error of assessment – Meaning – Burden of proof
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Arts 12(2)(a) and 47(b)(iii))
(see paragraphs 139, 162, 163)
10.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Early termination of a fixed-term contract by notice – Justification based on loss of nationality of a Member State – Member of staff treated differently than staff in other institutions having also lost citizenship of a Member State but keeping their post – No discrimination
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Arts 12(2)(a) and 47(b)(iii))
(see paragraphs 151, 152, 155, 156)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Mr Ian James Bowden and Mrs Janey Young to pay the costs.
(
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)	OJ C 98, 22.3.2021.