62024TJ0321_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 18 June 2025 –EG v Europol
(Case T-321/24)
(Civil service – Members of the temporary staff – Decision to suspend the applicant from his duties – Requirement of impartiality – Decision not to reclassify in Grade AD 11 – Subsidiary reclassification criterion – Liability – Non-material harm)
1.
Actions brought by officials – Interest in bringing proceedings – Action for annulment of a decision to suspend – Termination of the contract of the person concerned during the proceedings without withdrawal of the contested decision – Interest in bringing proceedings retained
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see paragraphs 19-21)
2.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Investigation prior to the initiation of disciplinary proceedings – Investigators’ obligations – Requirements of independence and impartiality – Scope – Appointment of investigators belonging to the same department as the person concerned – Whether permissible
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(1); Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Art. 2)
(see paragraphs 29-32, 39)
3.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Suspension of an official – Decision – Competent authority – Requirements of independence and impartiality – Scope
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Arts 23 and 24(1))
(see paragraphs 45-60)
4.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Suspension of an official – Obligation to hear the official beforehand – Scope
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Art. 23(2))
(see paragraphs 66-72)
5.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Suspension of an official – Obligation to state reasons – Scope
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Art. 23(1))
(see paragraph 75)
6.
Actions brought by officials – Pleas in law – Plea in law alleging complaint procedure vitiated by illegality – Action not brought against the decision rejecting the complaint – Rejection
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see paragraph 80)
7.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Reclassification – Europol internal directive – Legal effects
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 54)
(see paragraph 89)
8.
Officials – Members of the temporary staff – Reclassification – Consideration of comparative merits – Procedures – Application of a criterion not established in either the Staff Regulations or the internal rules – Not permissible
(Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, Art. 54)
(see paragraphs 90, 91)
9.
Officials – Decision adversely affecting an official – Obligation to state reasons at the latest at the stage of rejection of the complaint – Scope – Whether it is possible, during the proceedings, to substitute a completely new set of reasons for the initial, incorrect reasons – Not possible
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 25, second para.)
(see paragraph 93)
10.
Actions brought by officials – Action for damages brought without a pre-litigation procedure in accordance with the Staff Regulations – Inadmissibility – Exception – Claim for compensation directly linked to an action for annulment
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see paragraphs 101, 102)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of 22 November 2023 by which the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) did not reclassify EG in Grade AD 11;
2.
Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
3.
Orders EG and Europol to bear their own costs.