62023TJ0618_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 2 July 2025 –ZY v Commission
(Case T‑618/23)
(Civil service – Recruitment – Notice of competition – Open competition EPSO/AD/394/21 – Decision not to include the applicant’s name on the reserve list – Rules on languages – Plea of illegality – Limitation of the choice of the second language of the competition to English and French – Discrimination based on language – Interests of the service)
1.
Actions brought by officials – Plea of illegality – Measures the illegality of which may be pleaded – Notice of competition – Challenge to the limitation of the choice of second language – Existence of a connection between the decision excluding the applicant and the language regime laid down in the notice of competition – Admissibility
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Annex III, Art. 1)
(see paragraphs 43-47)
2.
Officials – Competitions – Holding of an open competition – Languages of participation in tests – Limitation of the choice of second language – Discrimination based on language – Justification having regard to the interests of the service – Observance of the principle of proportionality
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 1d(1) and (6))
(see paragraphs 67-71)
3.
Officials – Competitions – Holding of an open competition – Languages of participation in tests – Limitation of the choice of second language – Discrimination based on language – Justification based on the interest of the service in recruiting people who are immediately operational – Whether permissible – Condition – Connection between the nature of the posts to be filled and the required knowledge of languages – Burden of proof
(Staff Regulations of Officials, Art. 1d(1); Council Regulation No 1, Art. 1)
(see paragraphs 72-85)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of 2 December 2022 by which the selection board for open competition EPSO/AD/394/21 decided, after review, not to place her name on the reserve list for the recruitment of administrators at grade AD 7 in the field entitled ‘Anti-fraud investigations and operations in the field of [European Union] expenditure and anti-corruption’;
2.
Orders the European Commission to bear the costs.