62020TJ0089_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 19 June 2024 –PV v Commission
(Case T‑89/20) (
1
)
(Civil service – Officials – Psychological harassment – Request for assistance – Refusal of the request – Disciplinary proceedings – Disciplinary sanction – Removal from post – Withdrawal of removal from post – New disciplinary procedure – New removal from post – Unjustified absences – Conflict of interests – Impartiality – Material and non-material damage)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the subject matter of the dispute – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based – Introduction of new pleas during the proceedings – Conditions
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 76(d) and (e) and 84(1) and (2))
(see paragraphs 46-50)
2.
Actions brought by officials – Prior administrative complaint – Time limits – Mandatory – Time-barred – Reopening – Condition – New and material fact – Definition – Limits
(Art. 270 TFEU; Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 90 and 91)
(see paragraphs 67-72, 109)
3.
Officials – Acts of the administration – Presumption of validity – Non-existent act – Concept – Fraudulent act in the form of a false signature – Not included
(see paragraphs 85-93, 387, 389)
4.
Actions brought by officials – Prior administrative complaint – Submission of two complaints against the same measure adversely affecting an official – Admissibility of the first complaint to be submitted
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 90(2))
(see paragraphs 101, 107)
5.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Penalty – Principle ne bis in idem – Imposition of a penalty in respect of the same facts as those which had been the subject of an earlier penalty annulled by the EU judicature on account of a procedural defect – No infringement – No infringement of the presumption of innocence
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 50; Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Art. 9(3))
(see paragraphs 127-139, 164)
6.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Procedure – Submission to the Disciplinary Board of a report from the Appointing Authority – Report containing a statement of position as to the consequences to be drawn from the failure to fulfil obligations alleged against the person concerned – No infringement of the presumption of innocence
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Art. 12(1))
(see paragraphs 166-179)
7.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Procedure – Observance of the rights of the defence – Scope
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex IX, Arts. 2(2) and (3))
(see paragraphs 184-191)
8.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Procedure – Right to good administration – Requirement of impartiality – Scope – Challenge – Burden of proof
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(1); Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 11a and Annex IX)
(see paragraphs 201-205, 207-209, 211-213, 216, 217, 220-227, 230)
9.
EU law – Principles – Right to effective judicial protection – Scope – Principle of equality of arms and adversarial principle – Included – Application to an administrative procedure – Precluded
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47)
(see paragraphs 238-241)
10.
Officials – Acts of the administration – Withdrawal – Unlawful acts – Conditions – Observance of the principles of legal certainty and protection of legitimate expectations
(see paragraphs 287-290)
11.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Definition – Conduct intended to discredit the person concerned or to impair his or her working conditions or having that effect – Improper nature of the conduct – Criteria for assessment – Judicial review – Scope
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 31(1); Staff Regulations of Officials, Arts 12a(3) and 24)
(see paragraphs 311-317)
12.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Definition – Difficult or even conflictual relationships that the person concerned has with his or her colleagues or superiors – Not included – Negative observations made to an official – Not included – Conditions
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraph 324)
13.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Burden of proof – Production of medical certificates attesting to the existence of health problems – Not conclusive evidence of harassment
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraphs 326, 327)
14.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Definition – Notes and assessments contained in a staff report – Not conclusive evidence of harassment
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraphs 344, 345)
15.
Officials – Psychological harassment – Definition – Administrative decisions and disagreements with the administration on questions related to the organisation of the services – Not included
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 12a)
(see paragraph 369)
16.
Officials – Disciplinary measures – Penalty – Removal from post – Withdrawal of the removal decision – Reinstatement in post of the removed official without his or her consent – Infringement of the freedom to choose an occupation and of the right to work – None
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 15(1))
(see paragraphs 406-412)
17.
Officials – Employment relationship – Plea of non-performance – Inapplicability
(see paragraphs 419, 420)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Declares that each party is to bear its own costs.
(
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)	OJ C 110, 29.3.2021.