62022TJ0113_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 22 March 2023 –Colombani v EEAS
(Case T‑113/22) (
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)
(Civil service – Officials – Psychological harassment – Article 12a of the Staff Regulations – Request for assistance – Refusal of the request – Article 24 of the Staff Regulations – Rights of the defence – Error of assessment – Misuse of powers – Amicable settlement – Lack of consent – Retroactive promotion decision)
1.
Officials – Obligation of administration to provide assistance – Scope – Duty of the administration to examine complaints of psychological harassment and inform the complainant of the action to be taken in respect of his or her complaint – Condition – Submission of prima facie evidence – None – Refusal of the request for assistance – Whether permissible – Breach of duty to have regard for the welfare of officials – None
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 12a(3) and 24)
(see paragraphs 32-38, 52, 58, 60, 65, 69, 92, 112)
2.
Officials – Obligation of administration to provide assistance – Lawfulness of an institution’s refusal to take measures – Assessment by reference to information available at the time of adoption of the decision
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 12a, 24 and 90(1))
(see paragraphs 39, 58)
3.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Concept – Conduct attributable to a person other than the alleged harasser – Not included
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraph 53)
4.
Fundamental rights – Charter of Fundamental Rights – Right to good administration – Requirement of impartiality – Concept – Existence of doubts over the appearances of impartiality concerning only one person within a collegiate body – Presumption of impartiality in the absence of evidence to the contrary
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(1))
(see paragraphs 81, 82)
5.
Actions brought by officials – Prior administrative complaint – Nature of the procedure – Purpose – Re-examination of the contested decision – Consequence – Possibility for the administration to correct any irregularities – Scope – Neutralisation of a possible breach of the requirement of impartiality – Included
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 90)
(see paragraphs 85-89)
6.
Actions brought by officials – Pleas in law – Misuse of powers – Concept – Reminding an official of his or her obligations under the Staff Regulations – Not included
(see paragraph 102)
7.
Officials – Rights and obligations – Disclosure of information relating to the service – Requirement of prior authorisation – Authorisation based on the administration’s silence alone – Precluded
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 17 and 17a(2))
(see paragraph 103)
8.
Officials – Rights and obligations – Disclosure of information relating to the service – Requirement of prior authorisation – Non-applicability to the giving of evidence before the Court of Justice or the Disciplinary Board – Scope – Giving of evidence before a national authority concerning the working conditions in an institution or body of the Union – Not included
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 19, second para.)
(see paragraph 104)
9.
Fundamental rights – Charter of Fundamental Rights – Right to petition the European Parliament – Need for a link between the subject matter of the petition and the Union’s fields of activity – Scope – Facts forming part of the working relationship between an EU official and his or her institution which is the subject of an administrative complaint or an action – Not included
(Arts 227 and 270 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 44)
(see paragraph 105)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Mr Jean-Marc Colombani to pay the costs.
(
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)	OJ C 165, 19.4.2022.