Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

**EUROPEAN UNION**

**THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT** **THE COUNCIL**

**Brussels, 18 November 2015**
**(OR. en)**

**2011/0901 B (COD)** **PE-CONS 62/15**

**JUR 692**

**COUR 47**

**INST 378**

**CODEC 1434**

**LEGISLATIVE ACTS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS**

Subject: REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE
COUNCIL amending Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of
the European Union

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**REGULATION (EU, Euratom) 2015/…**

**OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL**

**of …**

**amending Protocol No 3 on the Statute**

**of the Court of Justice of the European Union**

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the first

paragraph of Article 254 and the second paragraph of Article 281 thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular

Article 106a(1) thereof,

Having regard to the request of the Court of Justice,

Having regard to the opinions of the European Commission **[1]**,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure **[2]**,

**1** Opinion of 30 September 2011 (OJ C 335, 16.11.2011, p. 20) and Opinion of 12 November
2015 (not yet published in the Official Journal).
**2** Position of the European Parliament of 15 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official
Journal and position of the Council at first reading of 23 June 2015 (OJ C 239, 21.7.2015,
p. 14). Position of the European Parliament of 28 October 2015 (not yet published in the
Official Journal) and decision of the Council of ….

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Whereas:

(1) As a consequence of the progressive expansion of its jurisdiction since its creation, the

number of cases before the General Court is now constantly increasing.

(2) At present, the duration of proceedings does not appear to be acceptable from the point of

view of litigants, particularly in the light of the requirements set out in Article 47 of the

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and in Article 6 of the European

Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

(3) The situation in which the General Court finds itself has causes relating, inter alia, to the

increase in the number and variety of legal acts of the institutions, bodies, offices and

agencies of the Union, as well as to the volume and complexity of the cases brought before

the General Court, particularly in the areas of competition, State aid and intellectual

property.

(4) The option of setting up specialised courts as provided for in Article 257 of the Treaty on

the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) has not been taken up.

(5) Consequently, suitable measures of an organisational, structural and procedural nature,

including in particular an increase in the number of Judges, should be taken to address this

situation. Making use of the possibility provided for by the Treaties of increasing the

number of Judges of the General Court would allow for a reduction within a short time of

both the volume of pending cases and the excessive duration of proceedings before the

General Court.

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(6) Taking into account the evolution of the workload of the General Court, the number of

Judges should be fixed at 56 at the end of a three-stage process, two Judges being

appointed upon a proposal by each of the Member States, it being understood that at no

point of time can there be more than two Judges sitting at the General Court appointed

upon a proposal by the same Member State.

(7) The panel provided for in Article 255 TFEU takes into account in particular independence,

impartiality, expertise and the professional and personal suitability of the candidates.

(8) In order to rapidly reduce the backlog of pending cases, twelve additional Judges should

take office upon entry into force of this Regulation.

(9) In September 2016, first instance jurisdiction in European Union civil service cases and the

seven posts of the Judges sitting at the European Union Civil Service Tribunal (‘Civil

Service Tribunal’) should be transferred to the General Court, on the basis of the

legislative request already announced by the Court of Justice.

That request will consider the modalities of the transfer of the seven posts of Judges of the

Civil Service Tribunal, including staff and resources.

(10) In September 2019, the remaining nine Judges should take office. In order to ensure

cost-effectiveness, this should not entail the recruitment of additional legal secretaries or

other support staff. Internal re-organisation measures within the institution should make

sure that efficient use be made of existing human resources, which should be equal for all

Judges, without prejudice to the decisions taken by the General Court concerning its

internal organisation.

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(11) It is of high importance to ensure gender balance within the General Court. In order to

achieve that objective, partial replacements in that Court should be organised in such a way

that the governments of Member States gradually begin to nominate two Judges for the

same partial replacement with the aim therefore of choosing one woman and one man,

provided that the conditions and procedures laid down by the Treaties are respected.

(12) It is necessary to adapt accordingly the provisions of the Statute of the Court of Justice of

the European Union on the partial replacement of Judges and Advocates-General that takes

place every three years.

(13) As the Court of Justice of the European Union has already announced, it will, as a

follow-up to the reform of the General Court, present yearly figures on its judicial activity

and, if necessary, suggest appropriate measures. At the second and third stages of the

enlargement of the General Court, an assessment of the situation of the General Court will

take place which, if necessary, could lead to certain adjustments, notably in terms of

administrative expenditure of the Court.

(14) Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union should

therefore be amended accordingly,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

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_Article 1_

Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union is hereby amended

as follows:

(1) Article 9 is replaced by the following:

‘ _Article 9_

When, every three years, the Judges are partially replaced, one half of the number of

Judges shall be replaced. If the number of Judges is an uneven number, the number of

Judges who shall be replaced shall alternately be the number which is the next above one

half of the number of Judges and the number which is next below one half.

The first paragraph shall also apply when the Advocates-General are partially replaced,

every three years.’.

(2) Article 48 is replaced by the following:

‘ _Article 48_

The General Court shall consist of:

(a) 40 Judges as from … [∗] ;

(b) 47 Judges as from 1 September 2016;

(c) two Judges per Member State as from 1 September 2019.’.

∗ OJ: please insert the date of entry into force of this Regulation.

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_Article 2_

The term of office of the additional Judges of the General Court to be appointed pursuant to

Article 48 of Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union shall be

as follows:

(a) The term of office of six of the twelve additional Judges to be appointed as from … [∗] shall

end on 31 August 2016. Those six Judges shall be chosen in such a way that the

governments of six Member States nominate two Judges for the partial replacement of the

General Court in 2016. The term of office of the other six Judges shall end

on 31 August 2019;

(b) The term of office of three of the seven additional Judges to be appointed as

from 1 September 2016 shall end on 31 August 2019. Those three Judges shall be chosen

in such a way that the governments of three Member States nominate two Judges for the

partial replacement of the General Court in 2019. The term of office of the other four

Judges shall end on 31 August 2022;

(c) The term of office of four of the nine additional Judges to be appointed as

from 1 September 2019 shall end on 31 August 2022. Those four Judges shall be chosen in

such a way that the governments of four Member States nominate two Judges for the

partial replacement of the General Court in 2022. The term of office of the other five

Judges shall end on 31 August 2025.

∗ OJ: please insert the date of entry into force of this Regulation.

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_Article 3_

1. By … [∗], the Court of Justice shall draw up a report, using an external consultant, for the

European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the functioning of the General

Court.

In particular, that report shall focus on the efficiency of the General Court, the necessity

and effectiveness of the increase to 56 Judges, the use and effectiveness of resources and

the further establishment of specialised chambers and/or other structural changes.

Where appropriate, the Court of Justice shall make legislative requests to amend its Statute

accordingly.

2. By … [∗∗], the Court of Justice shall draw up a report for the European Parliament, the

Council and the Commission on possible changes to the distribution of competence for

preliminary rulings under Article 267 TFEU. The report shall be accompanied, where

appropriate, by legislative requests.

∗ OJ: please insert the date: five years after the entry into force of this Regulation.
∗∗ OJ: please insert the date: two years after the entry into force of this Regulation.

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_Article 4_

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the _Official_

_Journal of the European Union_ .

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at …,

_For the European Parliament_ _For the Council_

_President_ _President_

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