1 BY AN APPLICATION LODGED AT THE COURT REGISTRY ON 11 OCTOBER 1979 , MRS ROUMENGOUS , AN OFFICIAL OF THE COMMISSION EMPLOYED AT THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE IN ISPRA , ITALY , BROUGHT AN ACTION UNDER ARTICLE 91 OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS OF OFFICIALS FOR A DECLARATION THAT COUNCIL REGULATION NO 3087/78 OF 21 DECEMBER 1978 ADJUSTING THE WEIGHTING APPLICABLE TO THE REMUNERATION AND PENSIONS OF OFFICIALS AND OTHER SERVANTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES EMPLOYED OR HAVING A HOME IN ITALY ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 369 , P . 10 ) IS NOT APPLICABLE TO HER .
2 UNTIL THE END OF 1978 THE STAFF REGULATIONS PROVIDED THAT AN OFFICIAL ' S REMUNERATION WAS TO BE EXPRESSED IN BELGIAN FRANCS AND WEIGHTED AT A RATE ABOVE , BELOW OR EQUAL TO 100% , DEPENDING ON LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE VARIOUS PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT .
3 FROM 1975 OFFICIALS EMPLOYED AT THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE IN ISPRA COMPLAINED TO THE COMMISSION THAT THE COST OF LIVING IN ITALY HAD CONSIDERABLY INCREASED AND ACCORDINGLY REQUESTED THAT THE WEIGHTING FOR ITALY BE REVISED . THEY COMPLAINED IN PARTICULAR THAT IN THEIR OPINION THE COST OF LIVING IN THE PROVINCE OF VARESE WAS HIGHER THAN IN ROME AND THEY URGED THE COMMISSION TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THAT DIFFERENCE WHEN FIXING THE WEIGHTING APPLICABLE TO THEIR REMUNERATION .
4 IN 1976 , 1977 AND 1978 CONSULTATIONS ON TECHNICAL MATTERS TOOK PLACE BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STAFF AND THOSE OF THE COMMISSION AND COUNCIL BUT NO AGREEMENT WAS REACHED ON THE ALTERATION OF THE WEIGHTING OR ON THE DATE TO WHICH THE NEW WEIGHTING SHOULD HAVE RETROACTIVE EFFECT . IN THE MEANTIME BY A SERIES OF REGULATIONS THE COUNCIL HAD INCREASED THE WEIGHTING FOR ITALY AS FROM 1 JANUARY 1976 TO 176.6 AS AGAINST 157.8 FOR BELGIUM , AS FROM 1 JULY 1976 TO 189.3 AS AGAINST 157.8 FOR BELGIUM , AS FROM 1 JANUARY 1977 TO 120 AS AGAINST 100 FOR BELGIUM , AS FROM 1 JANUARY 1977 TO 132.1 AS AGAINST 104.5 FOR BELGIUM AND AS FROM 1 JULY 1977 TO 130.2 AS AGAINST 100 FOR BELGIUM . IN MOST CASES THOSE REGULATIONS HAD A RETROACTIVE EFFECT OF ABOUT SIX MONTHS .
5 ON 26 JUNE 1978 THE COUNCIL ADOPTED REGULATION NO 1461/78 ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 176 , P . 1 ) BY WHICH THE WEIGHTING FOR ITALY WAS FIXED AT 137.6 AS AGAINST 102.3 FOR BELGIUM . THE RECITALS IN THE PREAMBLE TO THAT REGULATION STATE THAT ' ' A DECISION ON THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL FOR THE CORRECTION OF THE WEIGHTINGS FOR THREE COUNTRIES OF EMPLOYMENT WILL BE TAKEN ONLY IN THE LIGHT OF A STUDY TO BE CARRIED OUT BY THE COMMISSION . ' '
6 AFTER A FRESH INQUIRY BY THE STATISTICAL OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITIES AND DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL , ON 10 NOVEMBER 1978 THE COMMISSION PROPOSED TO THE COUNCIL THAT THE WEIGHTING FOR ITALY BE FIXED AT 146.4 AS AGAINST 102.3 FOR BELGIUM WITH RETROACTIVE EFFECT TO 1 JANUARY 1978 . THAT PROPOSAL WAS ACCEPTED BY THE COUNCIL BY THE ADOPTION OF REGULATION NO 3087/78 OF 21 DECEMBER 1978 ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 369 , P . 10 ). ON THE SAME DATE THE COUNCIL ADOPTED REGULATION NO 3084/78 ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 369 , P . 1 ) FIXING THE WEIGHTING FOR ITALY AT 146.8 AS AGAINST 100 FOR BELGIUM AS FROM 1 JULY 1978 .
7 THE STAFF CONCERNED CHALLENGED REGULATION NO 3087/78 IN SO FAR AS IT FIXED THE WEIGHTING AT A LEVEL WHICH DID NOT TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE COST OF LIVING AT VARESE AND GAVE THAT WEIGHTING RETROACTIVE EFFECT ONLY TO 1 JANUARY 1978 .
8 IN JANUARY 1979 THE COMMISSION PAID THE ARREARS OF REMUNERATION DUE UNDER REGULATIONS NOS 3087/78 AND 3084/78 .
9 BY A COMPLAINT MADE TO THE COMMISSION ON 11 APRIL 1979 PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 90 ( 2 ) OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS , THE APPLICANT REQUESTED THE COMMISSION TO TAKE THE MEASURES NECESSARY TO COMPENSATE HER FOR THE LOSS IN HER PURCHASING POWER DURING THE YEARS 1976 AND 1977 .
10 BY CIRCULAR LETTER DATED 12 JULY 1979 THE COMMISSION REJECTED THAT COMPLAINT .
11 THE APPLICANT THEN BROUGHT THIS APPLICATION IN WHICH SHE SEEKS THE ANNULMENT OF THE COMMISSION ' S DECISION SETTLING HER ARREARS OF REMUNERATION BY LIMITING THEM TO 1 JANUARY 1978 WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE COST OF LIVING PECULIAR TO THE PROVINCE OF VARESE ; A DECLARATION THAT REGULATION NO 3087/78 IS NOT APPLICABLE TO HER IN SO FAR AS IT LIMITS ITS RETROACTIVITY TO 1 JANUARY 1978 ; AND A DECLARATION THAT SHE IS ENTITLED TO THE AMOUNTS RESULTING FROM THE RAISING OF THE WEIGHTING BY 6.4% ON THE SALARIES OF 1976 AND 1977 AND TO THE SUBSEQUENT CONSOLIDATION PROVIDED FOR TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE HIGHER LEVEL OF PRICES IN VARESE AS COMPARED WITH ROME . ADMISSIBILITY
12 THE COMMISSION CLAIMS THAT THE APPLICATION IS INADMISSIBLE AS REGARDS THE PERIOD FROM JULY TO DECEMBER 1978 SINCE REGULATION NO 3087/78 , WHICH IS THE ONLY ONE IN DISPUTE , FIXED THE WEIGHTING FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 1978 . A SECOND GROUND OF INADMISSIBILITY IS THAT THE CALCULATION OF ARREARS CARRIED OUT IN JANUARY 1979 WAS IN THE NATURE OF A CONFIRMATION OF THE MONTHLY CALCULATIONS OF SALARY MADE DURING 1976 AND 1977 AND SUCH PAYMENT OF ARREARS DOES NOT THEREFORE CONSTITUTE A MEASURE CAPABLE OF FOUNDING AN INDEPENDENT RIGHT OF ACTION , PARTICULARLY SINCE NO COMPLAINT WAS MADE AT THAT TIME AGAINST THE CALCULATIONS OF SALARY FOR THE YEARS IN QUESTION .
13 REGARD BEING HAD TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE , THE COMMISSION ' S OBJECTION CANNOT BE UPHELD . IN FACT , ALTHOUGH IT IS IMPORTANT TO SAFEGUARD THE APPLICATION OF THE RULE CONTAINED IN THE STAFF REGULATIONS WHICH PROVIDES FOR A PRIOR COMPLAINT THROUGH OFFICIAL CHANNELS WITHIN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD IT SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED THAT , OWING TO THE FACT THAT NEGOTIATIONS HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY MONTHS BETWEEN THE COUNCIL , THE COMMISSION AND STAFF REPRESENTATIVE BODIES , THE APPLICANT WAS LEGITIMATELY ENTITLED TO AWAIT THE OUTCOME OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS BEFORE CONCERNING HERSELF ABOUT THEIR POSSIBLY NEGATIVE EFFECT ON HER SALARY . IN FACT , THE SUCCESSIVE COUNCIL REGULATIONS ADJUSTING THE WEIGHTINGS COME INTO EFFECT AFTER A PERIOD OF DELAY AND ARE THEREFORE NORMALLY GIVEN RETROACTIVE APPLICATION , THE EXTENT OF WHICH IS , HOWEVER , HARDLY FORESEEABLE . IN THE RECITALS IN THE PREAMBLE TO REGULATION NO 1461/78 , MOREOVER , THE COUNCIL ITSELF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE WEIGHTING PROVIDED FOR BY THAT REGULATION FOR THREE COUNTRIES OF EMPLOYMENT WAS NOT DEFINITIVE .
14 THE COMMISSION ' S ARGUMENT , IF IT WERE ACCEPTED , WOULD MEAN THAT AN OFFICIAL WHO CONSIDERED HIMSELF INJURED BY THE COUNCIL ' S DELAY IN ADJUSTING THE WEIGHTING WOULD HAVE HAD NOT MERELY TO SUBMIT A SERIES OF COMPLAINTS POSSIBLY STRETCHING OVER SEVERAL YEARS , BUT ALSO TO BRING A SERIES OF ACTIONS BEFORE THE COURT , OR RISK BEING TIME-BARRED . THAT ARGUMENT CANNOT BE UPHELD . THE FACTS OF CASE 15/73 ( KORTNER ( 1974 ) ECR 177 ) ON WHICH THE COMMISSION FOUNDS ITS ARGUMENT ARE IN NO WAY SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE PRESENT CASE .
15 AS FOR THE SECOND OBJECTION RAISED BY THE COMMISSION , REGARDING THE APPLICATION FOR COMPENSATION , SUFFICE IT TO STATE THAT THE ADMISSIBILITY OF THE APPLICATION FOR ANNULMENT ENTAILS THE ADMISSIBILITY OF THE APPLICATION FOR COMPENSATION WHERE , AS IN THIS CASE , THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSELY LINKED THE ONE WITH THE OTHER .
16 THE APPLICATION MUST THEREFORE BE ADJUDGED ADMISSIBLE . THE SUBSTANCE
17 AS REGARDS THE WEIGHTING APPLIED TO OFFICIALS EMPLOYED IN ISPRA , THE APPLICANT IS PURSUING TWO OBJECTIVES . FIRST SHE SEEKS TO OBTAIN A REVISION OF THE AMOUNT OF THE WEIGHTING WHICH , IN HER VIEW , OUGHT TO BE CALCULATED ON THE BASIS OF THE COST OF LIVING AT THE OFFICIAL ' S EXACT PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT , IN THIS CASE IN THE PROVINCE OF VARESE , AND NOT AUTOMATICALLY IN THE CAPITAL OF THE COUNTRY IN QUESTION . IN THIS CASE , THE APPLICANT MAINTAINS THAT THE COST OF LIVING IN THE PROVINCE OF VARESE WAS , DURING THE YEARS 1976 TO 1978 , SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN IN ROME . SECONDLY THE APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT THE WEIGHTING FOR ITALY , FIXED AT 146.4 BY REGULATION NO 3087/78 , BE APPLIED RETROACTIVELY TO 1 JANUARY 1976 .
18 THE APPLICANT CHALLENGES THE ARREARS OF SALARY CALCULATED ON THE BASIS OF REGULATION NO 3087/78 WHICH , IN HER VIEW , ARE IN BREACH OF ARTICLES 64 AND 65 OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE WEIGHTING , THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION AND THE RULES WHICH REQUIRE OBSERVANCE OF ESSENTIAL PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS .
19 THE APPLICANT THUS FIRST PUTS FORWARD THE ARGUMENT THAT REGULATION NO 3087/78 INFRINGES ARTICLE 64 OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS INASMUCH AS THE SURVEYS OF THE STATISTICAL OFFICE OF THE COMMUNITIES FOR DETERMINING THE WEIGHTING WERE CARRIED OUT WITH REFERENCE TO LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE CAPITAL AND NOT AT THE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT , SITUATED IN THE PROVINCE OF VARESE .
20 IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN THE PAST THE COUNCIL HAS INTERPRETED ARTICLE 64 OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS AS REFERRING NOT NECESSARILY TO THE CAPITAL OF THE COUNTRY OF EMPLOYMENT AS THE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT BUT , ACCORDING TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE , THE PRECISE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT . THUS REGULATION NO 1/67/ECSC , 988/67/EEC AND 9/67/EAEC OF THE COUNCIL OF 12 DECEMBER 1967 PROVIDED TWO WEIGHTINGS BOTH FOR FRANCE ( 130.5% FOR PARIS AND FOR CERTAIN AREAS AND 122.5% FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY ) AND FOR ITALY ( 114% FOR ISPRA AND 114.5% FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY ). IT WAS ONLY LATER THAT THE COUNCIL DECIDED TO USE A SINGLE WEIGHTING FOR EACH MEMBER STATE .
21 THAT NEW SYSTEM IN REALITY CONFERS IN MOST CASES A BENEFIT ON OFFICIALS NOT RESIDENT IN THE CAPITAL SINCE THE COST OF LIVING THERE IS GENERALLY HIGHER THAN IN THE PROVINCES . HOWEVER , IT SEEMS THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE SPECIFICALLY IN ITALY WHERE THE SURVEY BY THE STATISTICAL OFFICE AND THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE ITALIAN INSTITUTE OF STATISTICS BOTH SHOW THAT THE COST OF LIVING IN VARESE IS HIGHER THAN THAT IN ROME .
22 IN FACT IT IS CLEAR FROM THE FIGURES COMMUNICATED BY THE COMMISSION ON THE BASIS OF THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY THE STATISTICAL OFFICE IN VARESE IN MAY 1976 TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION 230 ITEMS OF EXPENDITURE ( EXCLUDING RENT , HEATING AND ELECTRICITY WHICH WERE THE SUBJECT OF A LATER INVESTIGATION ) THAT THE COST OF LIVING IN THAT PROVINCE WAS 7.66% HIGHER THAN IN ROME . AFTER THE RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATION CARRIED OUT IN VARESE ON THE LEVEL OF RENTS HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT , THE DIFFERENCE WAS REDUCED TO 2.76% WHICH STILL REPRESENTED A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 65 ( 2 ) OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS . MOREOVER IT IS CLEAR FROM THE REASONS ACCOMPANYING THE COMMISSION ' S PROPOSAL WHICH LED TO REGULATION NO 3087/78 THAT THE COMMISSION ITSELF ENTERTAINED DOUBTS AS TO WHETHER THE SOLE REFERENCE TO THE COST OF LIVING IN ROME WAS WELL FOUNDED SINCE IT STATED THAT : ' ' THE USE OF A SINGLE WEIGHTING FOR EACH COUNTRY OF EMPLOYMENT , WORKED OUT FOR THE CAPITAL , PLACES STAFF WORKING IN ISPRA AT A SLIGHT DISADVANTAGE . THE STATISTICS AVAILABLE SHOW THAT THE COST OF LIVING IN ROME HAS RISEN LESS RAPIDLY THAN IN THE VARESE AREA , FROM WHICH IT MAY REASONABLY BE ASSUMED THAT PRICES IN ROME ARE NOW LOWER THAN IN VARESE . THIS EXISTENCE OF LOWER PRICES IN THE CAPITAL THAN ELSEWHERE IS THE EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE RULE IN THE NINE . IN VIEW OF THE NUMBER OF STAFF EMPLOYED IN ISPRA A SPECIAL LOCAL PRICE SURVEY WOULD APPEAR JUSTIFIED . HOWEVER , THE COMMISSION FEELS THAT IT WOULD BE WISER NOT TO INNOVATE IN THIS DIRECTION AND TO ABIDE BY THE COUNCIL DECISION OF 1968 , WHICH PROVIDES SPECIFICALLY FOR THE USE OF THE PRICE INDEXES RELATING TO THE CAPITAL ' ' .
23 UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS , IN ORDER THAT THE RULE CONTAINED IN ARTICLE 64 OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS TO THE EFFECT THAT ACCOUNT MUST BE TAKEN OF LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE VARIOUS ' ' PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT ' ' MAY BE OBSERVED , THAT EXPRESSION MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS MEANING NOT ONLY THE CAPITALS OF THE MEMBER STATES BUT THE EXACT PLACES WHERE THE DUTIES OF A SUFFICIENTLY LARGE NUMBER OF OFFICIALS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES OF THE COMMUNITIES ARE PERFORMED .
24 THEREFORE IT IS FOR THE COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS , IN CASES IN WHICH THE COST OF LIVING IN SUCH A PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT UNDERGOES FLUCTUATIONS GREATER THAN THOSE OCCURRING IN THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE IN QUESTION , TO DETERMINE SEPARATE WEIGHTINGS . HENCE THE APPLICANT ' S SUBMISSION RELATING TO THE CALCULATION OF THE WEIGHTING AFFECTING HER SALARY ON THE BASIS OF THE COST OF LIVING IN THE PROVINCE OF VARESE MUST BE CONSIDERED WELL FOUNDED .
25 AS REGARDS THE RETROACTIVITY OF REGULATION NO 3087/78 THE APPLICANT CLAIMS THAT THAT REGULATION OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN APPLIED AS FROM 1 JANUARY 1976 SINCE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN THE COST OF LIVING HAD OCCURRED AS FROM THAT YEAR .
26 IN FACT IT IS CLEAR FROM THE REPORTS OF THE STATISTICAL OFFICE OF 17 AND 29 JUNE 1976 AND FROM ITS MEMORANDUM OF 17 AUGUST 1976 THAT CHANGES OF MORE THAN 2% IN THE COST OF LIVING AS AGAINST THAT IN BRUSSELS HAD OCCURRED IN 1976 BOTH IN ROME AND , TO A GREATER EXTENT , IN VARESE .
27 THE COMMISSION STATES IN THAT CONNECTION THAT ARTICLE 65 ( 2 ) OF THE STAFF REGULATIONS , WHICH PROVIDES THAT ' ' IN THE EVENT OF A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE COST OF LIVING , THE COUNCIL SHALL DECIDE , WITHIN TWO MONTHS , WHAT ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD BE MADE TO THE WEIGHTINGS AND IF APPROPRIATE TO APPLY THEM RETROACTIVELY ' ' , MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS GIVING THE COUNCIL DISCRETIONARY POWER TO DECIDE WHETHER MEASURES ADJUSTING WEIGHTINGS SHOULD BE RETROACTIVE OR NOT .
28 THAT ARGUMENT CANNOT BE UPHELD . IN FACT THE WORDING OF ARTICLE 65 ( 2 ) PRECLUDES ANY INTERPRETATION TO THE EFFECT THAT THE COUNCIL IS NOT OBLIGED TO ADJUST THE WEIGHTINGS WITHIN A PERIOD OF TWO MONTHS FOLLOWING ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE COST OF LIVING . IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT THE COURT IN ITS JUDGMENT OF 6 OCTOBER 1982 IN CASE 59/81 ( COMMISSION V COUNCIL ( 1982 ) ECR 3329 ) HELD THAT THE COUNCIL ' S POWER IN THIS RESPECT WAS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THERE HAD BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE COST OF LIVING AND , IF THERE HAD , TO DRAW THE APPROPRIATE CONCLUSIONS . ANY OTHER INTERPRETATION WOULD RUN COUNTER TO THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROVISION IN QUESTION WHICH IS TO GUARANTEE TO ALL OFFICIALS THE SAME PURCHASING POWER WHATEVER THEIR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT .
29 THAT SUBMISSION IS THEREFORE WELL FOUNDED .
30 CONSEQUENTLY IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO EXAMINE THE OTHER SUBMISSIONS PUT FORWARD BY THE APPLICANT WHICH WERE PUT ONLY IN THE ALTERNATIVE .
31 THE APPLICANT ' S SALARY STATEMENT FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 1979 MUST THEREFORE BE ANNULLED , IN SO FAR AS IT IS RESTRICTED TO GIVING EFFECT TO COUNCIL REGULATION NO 3087/78 , BOTH AS TO THE AMOUNT OF THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE WEIGHTING AND AS TO THE RETROACTIVE EFFECT OF THAT ADJUSTMENT , TOGETHER WITH THE DECISIONS REJECTING THE APPLICANT ' S COMPLAINTS . REGULATION NO 3087/78 IS NOT APPLICABLE TO THE APPLICANT IN SO FAR AS IT TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF THE COST OF LIVING IN VARESE AND LIMITS THE RETROACTIVE EFFECT OF THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE WEIGHTING TO 1 JANUARY 1978 .
32 SINCE IT MAY BE EXPECTED THAT THE COMPETENT INSTITUTIONS WILL TAKE THE MEASURES NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH THIS JUDGMENT , EXAMINATION OF THE CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION FOR THE PECUNIARY DAMAGE SUFFERED BY THE APPLICANT IS DEFERRED TO A DATE TO BE FIXED AT A LATER DATE IF NECESSARY .
33 BEFORE 15 JULY 1983 THE COMMISSION SHALL REPORT TO THE COURT ON THE MEASURES TAKEN TO COMPENSATE THE APPLICANT ; THE APPLICANT WILL BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPLY .