1.   Every Member of the General Court shall, as a rule, perform the duties of a Judge.

2.   Members of the General Court are hereinafter referred to as ‘Judges’.

3.   Every Judge, with the exception of the President, the Vice-President and the Presidents of Chambers of the General Court, may, in the circumstances defined in Articles 30 and 31, perform the duties of an Advocate General in a particular case.

4.   References to the Advocate General in these Rules shall apply only where a Judge has been designated as Advocate General.

‘I swear that I will perform my duties impartially and conscientiously; I swear that I will preserve the secrecy of the deliberations of the Court.’

1.   Where the Court of Justice is called upon, pursuant to Article 6 of the Statute, to decide, after consulting the General Court, whether a Judge of the General Court no longer fulfils the requisite conditions or no longer meets the obligations arising from his office, the President of the General Court shall invite the Judge concerned to make representations to the General Court, in the absence of the Registrar.

2.   The General Court shall state the reasons for its opinion.

3.   An opinion to the effect that a Judge of the General Court no longer fulfils the requisite conditions or no longer meets the obligations arising from his office must receive the votes of a majority of the Judges composing the General Court according to Article 48 of the Statute. In that event, particulars of the voting shall be communicated to the Court of Justice.

4.   Voting shall be by secret ballot in the absence of the Registrar; the Judge concerned shall not take part in the deliberations.

1.   The seniority of Judges shall be calculated according to the date on which they took up their duties.

2.   Where there is equal seniority on that basis, the order shall be determined by age.

3.   Judges whose terms of office are renewed shall retain their former seniority.

1.   The Judges shall, immediately after the partial replacement provided for in the second paragraph of Article 254 TFEU, elect one of their number as President of the General Court for a term of three years.

2.   If the office of President of the General Court falls vacant before the normal date of expiry of the term thereof, the General Court shall elect a successor for the remainder of the term.

3.   The elections provided for in this Article shall be by secret ballot. The Judge obtaining the votes of more than half the Judges composing the General Court according to Article 48 of the Statute shall be elected. If no Judge obtains that majority, further ballots shall be held until that majority is attained.

4.   The Judges shall then elect one of their number as Vice-President of the General Court for a term of three years, in accordance with the procedures laid down in paragraph 3. Paragraph 2 shall apply if the office of the Vice-President of the General Court falls vacant before the normal date of expiry of the term thereof.

5.   The names of the President and Vice-President of the General Court elected in accordance with this Article shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

1.   The President of the General Court shall represent the General Court.

2.   The President of the General Court shall direct the judicial business and the administration of the General Court.

3.   The President of the General Court shall preside at the plenum referred to in Article 42.

4.   The President of the General Court shall preside over the Grand Chamber. In that case Article 19 shall apply.

5.   If the President of the General Court is attached to a Chamber, he shall preside over that Chamber. In that case Article 19 shall apply.

6.   In cases not yet assigned to a formation of the Court, the President of the General Court may adopt the measures of organisation of procedure provided for in Article 89.

1.   The Vice-President of the General Court shall assist the President of the General Court in the performance of his duties and shall take the President's place when the latter is prevented from acting.

2.   He shall take the President's place, at the latter's request, in performing the duties referred to in Article 10(1) and (2).

3.   The General Court shall, by decision, specify the conditions under which the Vice-President of the General Court shall take the place of the President of the General Court in the performance of his judicial duties. That decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

4.   Subject to Article 10(5), if the Vice-President of the General Court is attached to a Chamber, he shall preside over that Chamber. In that case Article 19 shall apply.

1.   The General Court shall lay down criteria by which cases are to be allocated among the Chambers. The General Court may make one or more Chambers responsible for hearing and determining cases in specific matters.

2.   The decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

1.   As soon as possible after the document initiating proceedings has been lodged, the President of the General Court shall assign the case to a Chamber according to the criteria laid down by the General Court in accordance with Article 25.

2.   The President of the Chamber shall propose to the President of the General Court, in respect of each case assigned to the Chamber, the designation of a Judge to act as Rapporteur. The President of the General Court shall decide on the proposal.

3.   If in any Chamber sitting with three or with five Judges the number of Judges assigned to that Chamber is higher than three or five respectively, the President of the Chamber shall decide which of the Judges will be called upon to take part in the judgment of the case.

1.   If the Judge-Rapporteur is prevented from acting, the President of the competent formation of the Court shall notify the President of the General Court, who shall designate a new Judge-Rapporteur. If the new Judge-Rapporteur is not attached to the Chamber to which the case was first assigned, the case shall be heard and determined by the Chamber in which the new Judge-Rapporteur sits.

2.   In order to take account of a connection between cases on the basis of their subject-matter, the President of the General Court may, by reasoned decision and after consulting the Judge-Rapporteurs concerned, reassign the cases to enable the same Judge-Rapporteur to conduct preparatory inquiries in all the cases concerned. If the Judge-Rapporteur to whom the cases have been reassigned does not belong to the Chamber to which the cases were first assigned, the cases shall be heard and determined by the Chamber in which the new Judge-Rapporteur sits.

3.   In the interests of the proper administration of justice, and by way of exception, the President of the General Court may, before the presentation of the preliminary report referred to in Article 87, by reasoned decision and after consulting the Judges concerned, designate another Judge-Rapporteur. If that Judge-Rapporteur is not attached to the Chamber to which the case was first assigned, the case shall be heard and determined by the Chamber in which the new Judge-Rapporteur sits.

4.   Before designating the Judge-Rapporteur as provided in paragraphs 1 to 3, the President of the General Court shall seek the views of the Presidents of the Chambers concerned.

5.   Where the composition of the Chambers has changed as a result of a decision of the General Court on the assignment of Judges to Chambers, a case shall be heard and determined by the Chamber in which the Judge-Rapporteur sits following that decision, unless the deliberations have commenced or the oral part of the procedure has been opened.

1.   Whenever the legal difficulty or the importance of the case or special circumstances so justify, a case may be referred to the Grand Chamber or to a Chamber sitting with a different number of Judges.

2.   The Chamber seised of the case or the President of the General Court may, at any stage in the proceedings, either of its or his own motion or at the request of a main party, propose to the plenum that the case be referred as provided for in paragraph 1.

3.   The decision to refer a case to a formation sitting with a greater number of Judges shall be taken by the plenum.

4.   The decision to refer a case to a formation sitting with a lesser number of Judges shall be taken by the plenum, after the main parties have been heard.

5.   The case shall be heard and determined by a Chamber sitting with at least five Judges where a Member State or an institution of the Union which is a party to the proceedings so requests.

1.   The following cases assigned to a Chamber sitting with three Judges may be heard and determined by the Judge-Rapporteur sitting as a single Judge where, having regard to the lack of difficulty of the questions of law or fact raised, to the limited importance of those cases and to the absence of other special circumstances, they are suitable for being so heard and determined and have been delegated under the conditions laid down in this Article:

2.   Delegation to the single Judge shall not be possible:

3.   The decision relating to the delegation of a case to the single Judge shall be taken, after the main parties have been heard, by the Chamber sitting with three Judges before which the case is pending. Where a Member State or an institution of the Union which is a party to the proceedings objects to the case being heard and determined by the single Judge the case shall be maintained before the Chamber to which the Judge-Rapporteur belongs.

4.   The single Judge shall refer the case back to the Chamber if he finds that the conditions justifying its delegation are no longer satisfied.

1.   The decision to designate an Advocate General in a particular case shall be taken by the plenum at the request of the Chamber to which the case has been assigned or referred.

2.   The President of the General Court shall designate the Judge called upon to perform the function of Advocate General in that case.

3.   After being so designated, the Advocate General shall be heard before the decisions provided for in Articles 16, 28, 45, 68, 70, 83, 87, 90, 92, 98, 103, 105, 106, 113, 126 to 132, 144, 151, 165, 168, 169 and 207 to 209 are taken.

1.   The judicial year shall begin on 1 September of each calendar year and end on 31 August of the following year.

2.   The judicial vacations shall be determined by the General Court.

3.   In a case of urgency, the President of the General Court and the Presidents of Chambers may convene the Judges and, if necessary, the Advocate General during the judicial vacations.

4.   The General Court shall observe the official holidays of the place where it has its seat.

5.   The General Court may, in proper circumstances, grant leave of absence to any Judge.

6.   The dates of the judicial vacations shall be published annually in the Official Journal of the European Union.

1.   Decisions concerning administrative issues and the decisions referred to in Articles 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 25, 28, 31 to 33, 41, 74 and 224 shall be taken by the General Court at the plenum in which all the Judges shall take part and have a vote, save as otherwise provided in these Rules. The Registrar shall be present, unless the General Court decides to the contrary.

2.   If, after the plenum has been convened, it is found that the quorum referred to in the fourth paragraph of Article 17 of the Statute has not been attained, the President of the General Court shall adjourn the sitting until there is a quorum.

1.   Where the General Court sits in the presence of the Registrar, the Registrar shall, if necessary, draw up minutes which shall be signed by the President of the General Court or by the President of the Chamber, as the case may be, and by the Registrar.

2.   Where the General Court sits without the Registrar being present it shall, if necessary, instruct the most junior Judge for the purposes of Article 8 to draw up minutes which shall be signed by the President of the General Court or by the President of the Chamber, as the case may be, and by that Judge.

1.   A procedural document shall be lodged at the Registry either in paper form, where appropriate after transmission of a copy of the original of that document by telefax in accordance with Article 73(3), or by the method referred to in the decision of the General Court adopted pursuant to Article 74.

2.   All procedural documents shall bear a date. In the calculation of procedural time limits, only the date and time in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg of lodgement at the Registry shall be taken into account.

3.   To every procedural document there shall be annexed the material relied on in support of it, together with a schedule listing each item.

4.   Where, in view of the length of the material, only extracts from it are annexed to the procedural document, the whole item or a full copy of it shall be lodged at the Registry.

5.   The institutions shall produce, within time limits laid down by the President, translations of any procedural document into the other languages provided for by Article 1 of Council Regulation No 1.

1.   The original paper version of a procedural document must bear the handwritten signature of the party's agent or lawyer.

2.   The original, accompanied by all annexes referred to therein, shall be submitted together with three copies for the General Court and a copy for every other party to the proceedings. Copies shall be certified by the party lodging them.

3.   By way of derogation from the second sentence of Article 72(2), the date on and time at which a full copy of the signed original of a procedural document, including the schedule of items referred to in Article 72(3), is received at the Registry by telefax shall be deemed to be the date and time of lodgement for the purposes of compliance with the procedural time limits, provided that the signed original of the procedural document, accompanied by the annexes and copies referred to in paragraph 2, is lodged at the Registry no later than 10 days thereafter. Article 60 shall not apply to that time limit of 10 days.

1.   The General Court shall set, in accordance with Article 224, the maximum length of written pleadings lodged pursuant to this Title.

2.   Authorisation to exceed the maximum length of written pleadings may be given by the President only in cases involving particularly complex legal or factual issues.

1.   For the purposes of the proceedings, the application shall state whether the method of service to which the applicant's representative agrees is that referred to in Article 57(4) or telefax.

2.   If the application does not comply with the requirements referred to in paragraph 1, all service on the party concerned for the purposes of the proceedings shall be effected, for so long as the defect has not been cured, by registered letter addressed to the representative of that party. Service shall then be deemed to be duly effected by the lodging of the registered letter at the post office of the place in which the General Court has its seat.

1.   The application shall be accompanied, where appropriate, by the documents specified in the second paragraph of Article 21 of the Statute.

2.   An application submitted under Article 272 TFEU pursuant to an arbitration clause in a contract governed by public or private law, entered into by the Union or on its behalf, shall be accompanied by a copy of the contract which contains that clause.

3.   An application made by a legal person governed by private law shall be accompanied by recent proof of that person's existence in law (extract from the register of companies, firms or associations or any other official document).

4.   The application shall be accompanied by the documents referred to in Article 51(2) and (3).

5.   If the application does not comply with the requirements set out in paragraphs 1 to 4, the Registrar shall prescribe a reasonable time limit within which the applicant is to produce the abovementioned documents. If the applicant fails to put the application in order within the time limit prescribed, the General Court shall decide whether the non-compliance with these conditions renders the application formally inadmissible.

1.   The application shall be served on the defendant in the form of a certified copy sent by registered post with a form for acknowledgement of receipt or by personal delivery of the copy against a receipt. Where the defendant has previously agreed to applications being served on him by the method referred to in Article 57(4) or by telefax, service of the application may be effected accordingly.

2.   In cases where Article 78(5) applies, service shall be effected as soon as the application has been put in order or the General Court has declared it admissible notwithstanding the failure to observe the requirements set out in that Article.

1.   Within two months after service on him of the application, the defendant shall lodge a defence, containing:

2.   Article 77 and Article 78(3) to (5) shall apply to the defence.

3.   The time limit laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article may, in exceptional circumstances, be extended by the President at the reasoned request of the defendant.

1.   The application initiating proceedings and the defence may be supplemented by a reply from the applicant and by a rejoinder from the defendant unless the General Court decides that a second exchange of pleadings is unnecessary because the contents of the file in the case are sufficiently comprehensive.

2.   Where the General Court decides that a second exchange of pleadings is unnecessary it may authorise the main parties to supplement the file in the case if the applicant presents a reasoned request to that effect within two weeks from the service of that decision.

3.   The President shall prescribe the time limits within which those procedural documents are to be produced. He may specify the matters to which the reply or the rejoinder should relate.

1.   No new plea in law may be introduced in the course of proceedings unless it is based on matters of law or of fact which come to light in the course of the procedure.

2.   Any new pleas in law shall be introduced in the second exchange of pleadings and identified as such. Where the matters of law or of fact justifying the introduction of new pleas in law are known after the second exchange of pleadings or after it has been decided not to authorise a second exchange of pleadings, the main party concerned shall introduce the new pleas in law as soon as those matters come to his knowledge.

3.   Without prejudice to the decision to be taken by the General Court on the admissibility of the new pleas in law, the President shall give the other parties an opportunity to respond to those pleas.

1.   Evidence produced or offered shall be submitted in the first exchange of pleadings.

2.   In reply or rejoinder a main party may produce or offer further evidence in support of his arguments, provided that the delay in the submission of such evidence is justified.

3.   The main parties may, exceptionally, produce or offer further evidence before the oral part of the procedure is closed or before the decision of the General Court to rule without an oral part of the procedure, provided that the delay in the submission of such evidence is justified.

4.   Without prejudice to the decision to be taken by the General Court on the admissibility of the evidence produced or offered pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3, the President shall give the other parties an opportunity to comment on such evidence.

1.   Where a measure the annulment of which is sought is replaced or amended by another measure with the same subject-matter, the applicant may, before the oral part of the procedure is closed, or before the decision of the General Court to rule without an oral part of the procedure, modify the application to take account of that new factor.

2.   The modification of the application must be made by a separate document within the time limit laid down in the sixth paragraph of Article 263 TFEU within which the annulment of the measure justifying the modification of the application may be sought.

3.   The statement of modification shall contain:

4.   The statement of modification must be accompanied by the measure justifying the modification of the application. If that measure is not produced, the Registrar shall prescribe a reasonable time limit within which the applicant is to produce it. If the applicant fails to produce the measure within the time limit prescribed, the General Court shall decide whether the non-compliance with that requirement renders the statement modifying the application inadmissible.

5.   Without prejudice to the decision to be taken by the General Court on the admissibility of the statement modifying the application, the President shall prescribe a time limit within which the defendant may respond to the statement of modification.

6.   The President shall, where appropriate, prescribe a time limit within which any interveners may supplement their statements in intervention in the light of the statement modifying the application and the statement in response. Those statements shall be served simultaneously on the interveners for that purpose.

1.   When the written part of the procedure is closed, the President shall fix a date on which the Judge-Rapporteur is to present a preliminary report to the General Court.

2.   The preliminary report shall contain an analysis of the relevant issues of fact and of law raised by the action, proposals as to whether measures of organisation of procedure or measures of inquiry should be undertaken, whether there should be an oral part of the procedure and whether the case should be referred to the Grand Chamber or to a Chamber sitting with a different number of Judges, and whether the case should be delegated to a single Judge.

3.   The General Court shall decide what action to take on the proposals of the Judge-Rapporteur and, where appropriate, whether to open the oral part of the procedure.

1.   Measures of organisation of procedure and measures of inquiry may be taken or modified at any stage of the proceedings either of the General Court's own motion or on the application of a main party.

2.   The application referred to in paragraph 1 must state precisely the purpose of the measures sought and the reasons for them. Where the application is made after the first exchange of pleadings, the party submitting that application must state the reasons for which he was unable to submit it earlier.

3.   Where an application for measures of organisation of procedure or for measures of inquiry is made, the President shall give the other parties an opportunity to comment on that application.

1.   Where, contrary to the adversarial principle set out in Article 64 under which all information and material must be fully communicated between the parties, a main party intends to base his claims on certain information or material but submits that its communication would harm the security of the Union or that of one or more of its Member States or the conduct of their international relations, he shall produce that information or material by a separate document. The information or material thus produced shall be accompanied by an application for confidential treatment thereof, setting out the overriding reasons which, to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, justify the confidentiality of that information or material being preserved and which militate against its communication to the other main party. The application for confidential treatment shall also be submitted by a separate document and shall not contain anything which is confidential. Where the information or material in respect of which confidential treatment is sought has been transmitted to the main party by one or more Member States, the overriding reasons put forward by the main party to justify the confidential treatment of that information or material may include those provided by the Member State(s) concerned.

2.   The production of information or material the confidential nature of which is based on the overriding reasons referred to in paragraph 1 may be requested by the General Court in the form of a measure of inquiry. Formal note shall be taken of any refusal. By way of derogation from Article 103, the procedural regime applicable to such information or material produced following a measure of inquiry shall be that of the present Article.

3.   While the information or material produced by a main party in accordance with paragraph 1 or 2 is being examined as to its relevance to the General Court's ruling in the case and as to its confidential nature vis-à-vis the other main party, that information or material shall not be communicated to the other main party.

4.   Where the General Court decides, after the examination provided for in paragraph 3, that the information or material produced before it is relevant in order for it to rule in the case and is not confidential for the purposes of the proceedings before the General Court, it shall ask the party concerned to authorise the communication of that information or material to the other main party. If the first party objects to such communication within a period prescribed by the President, or fails to reply by the end of that period, that information or material shall not be taken into account in the determination of the case and shall be returned to that party.

5.   Where the General Court decides, after the examination provided for in paragraph 3, that certain information or material produced before it is relevant in order for it to rule in the case and is confidential vis-à-vis the other main party, it shall not communicate that information or material to that main party. It shall then weigh the requirements linked to the right to effective judicial protection, particularly observance of the adversarial principle, against the requirements flowing from the security of the Union or of one or more of its Member States or the conduct of their international relations.

6.   After weighing up the matters referred to in paragraph 5, the General Court shall make a reasoned order specifying the procedures to be adopted to accommodate the requirements referred to in paragraph 5, such as the production by the party concerned, for subsequent communication to the other main party, of a non-confidential version or a non-confidential summary of the information or material, containing the essential content thereof and enabling the other main party, to the greatest extent possible, to make its views known.

7.   The information or material that is confidential vis-à-vis the other main party may be withdrawn, wholly or in part, by the main party who produced it in accordance with paragraph 1 or 2, within two weeks after service of the decision taken pursuant to paragraph 5. The information or material withdrawn shall not be taken into account in the determination of the case and shall be returned to the main party concerned.

8.   Where the General Court considers that information or material which, owing to its confidential nature, has not been communicated to the other main party in accordance with the procedures referred to in paragraph 6 is essential in order for it to rule in the case, it may, by way of derogation from Article 64 and confining itself to what is strictly necessary, base its judgment on such information or material. When assessing that information or material, the General Court shall take account of the fact that a main party has not been able to make his views on it known.

9.   The General Court shall ensure that confidential matters contained in the information or material produced by a main party in accordance with paragraph 1 or 2 which have not been communicated to the other main party are not disclosed in the order made pursuant to paragraph 6 or in the decision which closes the proceedings.

10.   The information or material referred to in paragraph 5 shall be returned to the party concerned as soon as the decision closing the proceedings before the General Court is adopted.

11.   The General Court shall determine, by decision, the security rules for protecting the information or material produced in accordance with paragraph 1 or paragraph 2, as the case may be. That decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

1.   The procedure before the General Court shall include, in the oral part, a hearing arranged either of the General Court's own motion or at the request of a main party.

2.   Any request for a hearing made by a main party must state the reasons for which that party wishes to be heard. It must be submitted within three weeks after service on the parties of notification of the close of the written part of the procedure. That time limit may be extended by the President.

3.   If there is no request as referred to in paragraph 2, the General Court may, if it considers that it has sufficient information available to it from the material in the file, decide to rule on the action without an oral part of the procedure. In that case, it may nevertheless later decide to open the oral part of the procedure.

1.   If the General Court decides to open the oral part of the procedure, the President shall fix the date of the hearing.

2.   The President may, in exceptional circumstances, of his own motion or at the reasoned request of a main party, adjourn the hearing to another date.

1.   Where a party informs the General Court that he will not be present at the hearing or where the General Court finds at the hearing that a party who has been duly given notice to attend is absent without excuse, the hearing shall proceed in the absence of the party concerned.

2.   Where the main parties indicate to the General Court that they will not be present at the hearing, the President shall decide whether the oral part of the procedure may be closed.

1.   After hearing the parties, the General Court may, in accordance with Article 31 of the Statute, decide to hear a case in camera.

2.   The request by a party for a case to be heard in camera must include reasons and specify whether it concerns all or part of the hearing.

3.   The oral proceedings in cases heard in camera shall not be published.

1.   The oral proceedings shall be opened and directed by the President, who shall be responsible for the proper conduct of the hearing.

2.   A party may address the General Court only through his representative.

3.   The members of the formation of the Court and the Advocate General may in the course of the hearing put questions to the representatives of the parties.

1.   Where an Advocate General has been designated in a case and delivers his Opinion in writing, he shall lodge it at the Registry, which shall communicate it to the parties.

2.   The President shall declare the oral part of the procedure closed after the delivery, orally or in writing, of the Opinion of the Advocate General.

1.   The General Court shall order the reopening of the oral part of the procedure when the conditions set out in Article 23(3) or Article 24(3) are satisfied.

2.   The General Court may order the reopening of the oral part of the procedure:

1.   The Registrar shall draw up minutes of every hearing. The minutes shall be signed by the President and by the Registrar. They shall constitute an official record.

2.   The minutes shall be served on the parties.

1.   The judgment shall be delivered in open court.

2.   The original of the judgment, signed by the President, by the Judges who took part in the deliberations and by the Registrar, shall be sealed and deposited at the Registry. A copy of the judgment shall be served on each of the parties.

1.   Subject to the provisions of Article 60 of the Statute, a judgment shall be binding from the date of its delivery.

2.   Subject to the provisions of Article 60 of the Statute, an order shall be binding from the date of its service.

1.   Where the General Court finds that a defendant on whom an application initiating proceedings has been duly served has failed to respond to the application in the proper form or within the time limit prescribed in Article 81, without prejudice to the application of the provisions of the second paragraph of Article 45 of the Statute, the applicant may, within a time limit prescribed by the President, apply to the General Court for judgment by default.

2.   A defendant in default shall not intervene in the default procedure and, with the exception of the decision which closes the proceedings, no procedural document shall be served on him.

3.   The General Court shall give judgment in favour of the applicant in the judgment by default, unless it is clear that the General Court has no jurisdiction to hear and determine the action or that the action is manifestly inadmissible or manifestly lacking any foundation in law.

4.   A judgment by default shall be enforceable. The General Court may, however, grant a stay of execution until it has given its decision on any application under Article 166 to set aside the judgment, or it may make execution subject to the provision of security of an amount and nature to be fixed in the light of the circumstances. This security shall be released if no such application is made or if the application fails.

1.   If, before the General Court has given its decision, the main parties reach a settlement of their dispute and inform the General Court of the abandonment of their claims, the President shall order the case to be removed from the register and shall give a decision as to costs in accordance with Articles 136 and 138, having regard to any proposals made by the parties on the matter.

2.   This provision shall not apply to proceedings under Articles 263 TFEU and 265 TFEU.

1.   A defendant applying to the General Court for a decision on inadmissibility or lack of competence without going to the substance of the case shall submit the application by a separate document within the time limit referred to in Article 81.

2.   A party applying to the General Court for a declaration that the action has become devoid of purpose and that there is no longer any need to adjudicate on it or for a decision on another preliminary issue shall submit the application by a separate document.

3.   The applications referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 must state the pleas of law and arguments relied on and the form of order sought; any supporting material must be annexed to the applications.

4.   As soon as the application referred to in paragraph 1 has been submitted, the President shall prescribe a time limit within which the applicant in the action may submit in writing his pleas in law and the form of order which he seeks.

5.   As soon as the application referred to in paragraph 2 has been submitted, the President shall prescribe a time limit within which the other parties may submit in writing their observations on that application.

6.   The General Court may decide to open the oral part of the procedure in respect of the applications referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2. Article 106 shall not apply.

7.   The General Court shall decide on the application as soon as possible or, where special circumstances so justify, reserve its decision until it rules on the substance of the case. It shall refer the case to the Court of Justice or to the Civil Service Tribunal if the case falls within their jurisdiction.

8.   If the General Court refuses the application or reserves its decision, the President shall prescribe new time limits for further steps in the proceedings.

1.   If the General Court declares that the action has become devoid of purpose and that there is no longer any need to adjudicate on it, it may at any time, of its own motion, on a proposal from the Judge-Rapporteur and after hearing the parties, decide to rule by reasoned order.

2.   If the applicant ceases to reply to the General Court's requests, the General Court may, on a proposal from the Judge-Rapporteur and after hearing the parties, declare of its own motion, by reasoned order, that there is no longer any need to adjudicate.

1.   The unsuccessful party shall be ordered to pay the costs if they have been applied for in the successful party's pleadings.

2.   Where there is more than one unsuccessful party the General Court shall decide how the costs are to be shared.

3.   Where each party succeeds on some and fails on other heads, the parties shall bear their own costs. However, if it appears justified in the circumstances of the case, the General Court may order that one party, in addition to bearing his own costs, pay a proportion of the costs of the other party.

1.   Exceptionally, if equity so requires, the General Court may decide that an unsuccessful party is to pay only a proportion of the costs of the other party in addition to bearing his own, or even that he is not to be ordered to pay any.

2.   The General Court may order a party, even if successful, to pay some or all of the costs, if this appears justified by the conduct of that party, including before the proceedings were brought, especially if he has made the opposite party incur costs which the General Court holds to be unreasonable or vexatious.

1.   A party who discontinues or withdraws from proceedings shall be ordered to pay the costs if they have been applied for in the other party's observations on the discontinuance.

2.   However, at the request of the party who discontinues or withdraws from proceedings, the costs shall be borne by the other party if this appears justified by the conduct of that party.

3.   Where the parties have come to an agreement on costs, the decision as to costs shall be in accordance with that agreement.

4.   If costs are not claimed, the parties shall bear their own costs.

1.   The Member States and institutions which have intervened in the proceedings shall bear their own costs.

2.   The States other than the Member States, which are parties to the EEA Agreement, and also the EFTA Surveillance Authority, shall similarly bear their own costs if they have intervened in the proceedings.

3.   The General Court may order an intervener other than those referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 to bear his own costs.

1.   Sums due from the cashier of the General Court and from its debtors shall be paid in euros.

2.   Where costs to be recovered have been incurred in a currency other than the euro or where the steps in respect of which payment is due were taken in a country of which the euro is not the currency, the conversion shall be effected at the European Central Bank's official rates of exchange on the day of payment.

1.   The intervention shall be limited to supporting, in whole or in part, the form of order sought by one of the main parties. It shall not confer the same procedural rights as those conferred on the main parties and, in particular, shall not give rise to any right to request that a hearing be held.

2.   The intervention shall be ancillary to the main proceedings. It shall become devoid of purpose if the case is removed from the register of the General Court as a result of a main party's discontinuance or withdrawal from the proceedings or of an agreement between the main parties, or where the application is declared inadmissible.

3.   The intervener must accept the case as he finds it at the time of his intervention.

1.   An application to intervene must be submitted within six weeks of the publication of the notice referred to in Article 79.

2.   The application to intervene shall contain:

3.   The applicant for leave to intervene shall be represented in accordance with Article 19 of the Statute.

4.   Article 77, Article 78(3) to (5) and Article 139 shall apply to the application to intervene.

1.   The application to intervene shall be served on the main parties.

2.   The President shall give the main parties an opportunity to submit their written or oral observations on the application to intervene and to apply, if necessary, for certain confidential information in the file in the case not to be communicated to an intervener.

3.   Where the defendant lodges a plea of inadmissibility or of lack of competence, as provided in Article 130(1), a decision on the application to intervene shall not be given until after the plea has been rejected or the decision on the plea reserved.

4.   Where the application is submitted pursuant to the first paragraph of Article 40 of the Statute and the main parties have not identified information in the file in the case that is confidential and which they claim would be prejudicial to them if communicated to the intervener, the intervention shall be allowed by decision of the President.

5.   In any other case the President shall decide on the application to intervene as soon as possible, by order, and, where applicable, on the communication to the intervener of information which it is claimed is confidential.

6.   If the application to intervene is refused, the order referred to in paragraph 5 must state the reasons on which it is based and include a decision as to the costs relating to the application to intervene, including the costs of the applicant for leave to intervene, pursuant to Articles 134 and 135.

7.   If the application to intervene is granted, the intervener shall receive a copy of every procedural document served on the main parties, save, where applicable, for the confidential information excluded from such communication pursuant to paragraph 5.

8.   In the event that the application to intervene is withdrawn, the President shall order that the applicant for leave to intervene be removed from the case and shall give a decision as to costs, including the costs of the applicant for leave to intervene, pursuant to Article 136.

9.   In the event that the intervention is withdrawn, the President shall order that the intervener be removed from the case and shall give a decision as to costs pursuant to Articles 136 and 138.

10.   If the proceedings in the main case are concluded before the application to intervene has been decided, the applicant for leave to intervene and the main parties shall each bear their own costs relating to the application to intervene. A copy of the order closing the proceedings shall be transmitted to the applicant for leave to intervene.

1.   The intervener may submit a statement in intervention within the time limit prescribed by the President.

2.   The statement in intervention shall contain:

3.   After the statement in intervention has been lodged, the President shall prescribe a time limit within which the main parties may reply to that statement.

1.   Any person who, because of his financial situation, is wholly or partly unable to meet the costs of the proceedings shall be entitled to legal aid.

2.   Legal aid shall be refused if it is clear that the General Court has no jurisdiction to hear and determine the action in respect of which the application for legal aid is made or if that action appears to be manifestly inadmissible or manifestly lacking any foundation in law.

1.   An application for legal aid may be made before the action has been brought or while it is pending.

2.   The application for legal aid must be made using a form which is published in the Official Journal of the European Union and available on the internet site of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Without prejudice to Article 74, the form must be signed by the applicant for legal aid or, if he is represented, by his lawyer. An application for legal aid submitted without the application form will not be taken into consideration.

3.   The application for legal aid must be accompanied by all information and supporting documents making it possible to assess the applicant's financial situation, such as a certificate issued by a competent national authority attesting to his financial situation.

4.   If the application for legal aid is made before the action has been brought, the applicant must briefly state the subject-matter of the proposed action, the facts of the case and the arguments in support of the action. The application must be accompanied by supporting documents in that regard.

5.   Where applicable, the application for legal aid shall be accompanied by the documents referred to in Article 51(2) and (3) and Article 78(3). In that case Article 51(4) and Article 78(5) shall apply.

6.   If the applicant for legal aid is represented by a lawyer when the application for legal aid is lodged, Article 77 shall apply.

7.   The introduction of an application for legal aid shall, for the person who made it, suspend the time limit prescribed for the bringing of an action until the date of service of the order making a decision on that application or, in the cases referred to in Article 148(6), of the order designating the lawyer instructed to represent the applicant.

1.   Before giving his decision on an application for legal aid, the President shall prescribe a time limit within which the other main party may submit his written observations unless it is already apparent from the information produced that the conditions laid down in Article 146(1) have not been satisfied or that those laid down in Article 146(2) have been satisfied.

2.   The decision on the application for legal aid shall be taken by the President by way of an order.

3.   An order refusing legal aid shall state the reasons on which it is based.

4.   Any order granting legal aid may designate a lawyer to represent the person concerned if that lawyer has been proposed by the applicant in the application for legal aid and has agreed to represent the applicant before the General Court.

5.   If the person concerned has not indicated his choice of lawyer in the application for legal aid or following an order granting legal aid or if his choice is unacceptable, the Registrar shall send a copy of the order granting legal aid and a copy of the application to the competent authority of the Member State concerned mentioned in the Rules supplementing the Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice. If the person concerned is not resident in the Union, the Registrar shall send a copy of the order granting legal aid and a copy of the application to the competent authority of the State in which the Court of Justice of the European Union has its seat.

6.   Without prejudice to paragraph 4, the lawyer instructed to represent the applicant shall be designated by way of an order, having regard to the suggestions made by the person concerned or to the suggestions made by the authority referred to in paragraph 5, as the case may be.

7.   An order granting legal aid may specify the amount to be paid to the lawyer instructed to represent the person concerned or fix a limit which the lawyer's disbursements and fees may not, in principle, exceed. It may provide for a contribution to be made by the person concerned to the costs referred to in Article 149(1), having regard to his financial situation.

8.   No appeal shall lie from orders made under this Article.

9.   Without prejudice to Article 147(6), service on the applicant for legal aid and on the other parties shall be effected as provided for in Article 80(1).

1.   Where legal aid is granted, the cashier of the General Court shall be responsible, where applicable within the limits fixed, for costs involved in the assistance and representation of the applicant before the General Court. At the request of the lawyer designated in accordance with Article 148, the President may decide that an amount by way of advance should be paid to that lawyer.

2.   Where, by virtue of the decision closing the proceedings, the recipient of legal aid has to bear his own costs, the President shall fix the lawyer's disbursements and fees which are to be paid by the cashier of the General Court by way of a reasoned order from which no appeal shall lie.

3.   Where, in the decision closing the proceedings, the General Court has ordered another party to pay the costs of the recipient of legal aid, that other party shall be required to refund to the cashier of the General Court any sums advanced by way of aid.

4.   The Registrar shall take steps to obtain the recovery of the sums referred to in paragraph 3 from the party ordered to pay them.

5.   Where the recipient of the legal aid is unsuccessful, the General Court may, in ruling as to costs in the decision closing the proceedings, if equity so requires, order that one or more parties should bear their own costs or that those costs should be borne, in whole or in part, by the cashier of the General Court by way of legal aid.

1.   If the circumstances which led to the grant of legal aid alter during the proceedings, the President may, of his own motion or on request, withdraw that legal aid, having heard the person concerned.

2.   An order withdrawing legal aid shall contain a statement of reasons and no appeal shall lie from it.

1.   The applications referred to in this Chapter shall be assigned to the formation of the Court which delivered the decision to which the application relates.

2.   If the quorum referred to in Articles 23 and 24 can no longer be attained, the application shall be assigned to another formation of the Court sitting with the same number of Judges. If the decision was delivered by a Judge ruling as a single Judge who is prevented from acting, the application shall be assigned to another Judge.

1.   Without prejudice to the provisions relating to the interpretation of judgments and orders, the General Court may, of its own motion or on application by a party, rectify clerical mistakes, errors in calculation and obvious inaccuracies.

2.   The application for rectification shall be made within two weeks after delivery of the judgment or service of the order.

3.   Where the rectification concerns the operative part or one of the grounds constituting the necessary support for the operative part, the parties may submit written observations within the time limit prescribed by the President.

4.   The General Court shall give its decision by way of an order.

5.   The original of the rectification order shall be annexed to the original of the rectified decision. A note of this order shall be made in the margin of the original of the rectified decision.

1.   If the General Court has failed to adjudicate on a specific head of claim or on costs, any party wishing to rely on that may apply to the General Court to supplement its decision.

2.   The application shall be made within one month after delivery of the judgment or service of the order.

3.   The application shall be served on the other parties, who may submit written observations within the time limit prescribed by the President.

4.   After giving the parties an opportunity to submit their observations, the General Court shall decide, by way of an order, both on the admissibility and on the substance of the application.

1.   Application may be made pursuant to Article 41 of the Statute to set aside a judgment given by default.

2.   The application to set aside the judgment must be made by the defendant in default within one month from the date of service of the judgment given by default. It must be submitted in the form prescribed by Articles 76 to 78.

3.   After the application has been served, the President shall prescribe a time limit within which the other party may submit his written observations.

4.   The proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Title III or of Title IV, as the case may be.

5.   The General Court shall decide by way of a judgment which may not be set aside.

6.   The original of this judgment shall be annexed to the original of the judgment by default. A note of the judgment on the application to set aside shall be made in the margin of the original of the judgment by default.

1.   The provisions of Articles 76 to 78 shall apply to an application initiating third-party proceedings made pursuant to Article 42 of the Statute. In addition such an application shall:

2.   The application initiating third-party proceedings must be submitted within two months of the publication referred to in Article 122.

3.   The General Court may, on application by the third party, order a stay of execution of the contested judgment or order. The provisions of Articles 156 to 161 shall apply.

4.   The application shall be served on the parties, who may submit written observations within the time limit prescribed by the President.

5.   After giving the parties an opportunity to submit their observations, the General Court shall decide on the application.

6.   The contested judgment or order shall be varied on the points on which the submissions of the third party are upheld.

7.   The original of the decision in the third-party proceedings shall be annexed to the original of the contested judgment or order. A note of the decision in the third-party proceedings shall be made in the margin of the original of the contested judgment or order.

1.   In accordance with Article 43 of the Statute, if the meaning or scope of a judgment or order is in doubt, the General Court shall construe it on application by any party or any institution of the Union establishing an interest therein.

2.   An application for interpretation must be submitted within two years after the date of delivery of the judgment or service of the order.

3.   An application for interpretation shall be submitted in the form prescribed by Articles 76 to 78. In addition it shall specify:

4.   The application for interpretation shall be served on the other parties, who may submit written observations within the time limit prescribed by the President.

5.   After giving the parties an opportunity to submit their observations, the General Court shall decide on the application.

6.   The original of the interpreting decision shall be annexed to the original of the decision interpreted. A note of the interpreting decision shall be made in the margin of the original of the decision interpreted.

1.   In accordance with Article 44 of the Statute, an application for revision of a decision of the General Court may be made only on discovery of a fact which is of such a nature as to be a decisive factor and which, when the judgment was delivered or the order served, was unknown to the General Court and to the party claiming revision.

2.   Without prejudice to the time limit of 10 years prescribed in the third paragraph of Article 44 of the Statute, an application for revision shall be made within three months of the date on which the facts on which the application is founded came to the applicant's knowledge.

3.   Articles 76 to 78 shall apply to an application for revision. In addition the application shall:

4.   The application for revision shall be served on the other parties, who may submit written observations within the time limit prescribed by the President.

5.   After giving the parties an opportunity to submit their observations, the General Court shall, without prejudice to its decision on the substance, give its decision on the admissibility of the application by way of an order.

6.   If the General Court declares the application admissible, it shall give its decision on the substance of the case, in accordance with the provisions of these Rules.

7.   The original of the revising decision shall be annexed to the original of the decision revised. A note of the revising decision shall be made in the margin of the original of the decision revised.

1.   If there is a dispute concerning the costs to be recovered, the party concerned may apply to the General Court to determine the dispute. The application shall be submitted in the form prescribed in Articles 76 to 78.

2.   The application shall be served on the party concerned by the application, who may submit written observations within the time limit prescribed by the President.

3.   After giving the party concerned by the application an opportunity to submit his observations, the General Court shall give its decision by way of an order from which no appeal shall lie.

4.   The parties may, for the purposes of enforcement, request an authenticated copy of the order.

1.   A party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal other than the applicant may participate, as intervener, in the proceedings before the General Court by responding to the application in the manner and within the time limit prescribed.

2.   Before the expiry of the time limit prescribed for the lodging of a response, a party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal other than the applicant shall become a party to the proceedings before the General Court, as intervener, on lodging a procedural document. He shall lose the status of intervener before the General Court if he fails to respond to the application in the manner and within the time limit prescribed. In that case, the intervener shall bear his own costs in relation to the procedural documents lodged by him.

3.   The intervener referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall have the same procedural rights as the main parties. He may support the form of order sought by a main party and may apply for a form of order and put forward pleas in law independently of those applied for and put forward by the main parties.

4.   A party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal other than the applicant, who becomes a party before the General Court in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2, shall be represented in accordance with the provisions of Article 19 of the Statute.

5.   Article 77 and Article 78(3) to (5) shall apply to the procedural document referred to in paragraph 2.

6.   By way of derogation from Article 123, the default procedure shall not apply where an intervener, as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, has responded to the application in the manner and within the time limit prescribed.

1.   An application for replacement shall be made by a separate document. It may be lodged at any stage of the proceedings.

2.   The application shall contain:

3.   The applicant for replacement shall be represented in accordance with the provisions of Article 19 of the Statute.

4.   Article 77, Article 78(3) to (5) and Article 139 shall apply to the application for replacement.

1.   The application for replacement shall be served on the parties.

2.   The President shall give the parties an opportunity to submit their written or oral observations on the application for replacement.

3.   The decision on the application for replacement shall take the form of a reasoned order of the President or shall be included in the decision closing the proceedings.

4.   If the application for replacement is refused, a decision shall be given as to the costs relating to that application, including the costs of the applicant for replacement, pursuant to the provisions of Articles 134 and 135.

5.   If the application for replacement is granted, the successor to the party who is replaced must accept the case as he finds it at the time of that replacement. He shall be bound by the procedural documents lodged by the party whom he replaces.

1.   An application shall contain:

2.   Where the applicant was not the only party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of the Office, the application shall also contain the names of all the parties to those proceedings and the addresses which they had given for the purposes of notifications.

3.   The contested decision of the Board of Appeal shall be appended to the application. The date on which the applicant was notified of that decision must be indicated.

4.   An application made by a legal person governed by private law shall be accompanied by recent proof of that person's existence in law (extract from the register of companies, firms or associations or any other official document).

5.   The application shall be accompanied by the documents referred to in Article 51(2) and (3).

6.   Article 77 shall apply.

7.   If an application does not comply with paragraphs 2 to 5, the Registrar shall prescribe a reasonable time limit within which the applicant is to put the application in order. If the applicant fails to put the application in order within the time limit prescribed, the General Court shall decide whether the non-compliance with that procedural requirement renders the application formally inadmissible.

1.   The Registrar shall inform the defendant and all the parties to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal of the lodging of the application as provided for in Article 80(1). He shall arrange for service of the application after determining the language of the case in accordance with Article 45(4) and, where appropriate, for service of the translation of the application into the language of the case.

2.   The application shall be served on the defendant in the form of a certified copy sent by registered post with a form for acknowledgement of receipt or by personal delivery of the copy against a receipt. Where the defendant has previously agreed to applications being served on him by the method referred to in Article 57(4) or by telefax, service of the application may be effected accordingly.

3.   Service of the application on a party to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal shall be effected by the method to which that party agreed when lodging the procedural document referred to in Article 173(2), and, if no such document was lodged, by registered post with a form for acknowledgement of receipt at the address given by the party concerned for the purposes of the notifications to be effected in the course of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal.

4.   In cases where Article 177(7) applies, service shall be effected as soon as the application has been put in order or the General Court has declared it admissible notwithstanding the failure to observe the requirements set out in that Article.

5.   Once the application has been served, the defendant shall forward to the General Court the file relating to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal.

1.   A response shall contain:

2.   Article 177(4) to (7) shall apply to the response.

1.   The parties to the proceedings before the Board of Appeal other than the applicant may submit a cross-claim within the same time limit as that prescribed for the submission of a response.

2.   A cross-claim must be submitted by a document separate from the response.

1.   The cross-claim shall seek an order annulling or altering the decision of the Board of Appeal on a point not raised in the application.

2.   The pleas in law and arguments relied on shall identify precisely the points in the grounds of the decision being challenged that are contested.

1.   The General Court shall set, in accordance with Article 224, the maximum length of written pleadings lodged pursuant to this Title.

2.   Authorisation to exceed the maximum length of written pleadings may be given by the President only in cases involving particularly complex legal or factual issues.

1.   Where an action against a decision of a Board of Appeal is successful, the General Court may order the defendant to bear only its own costs.

2.   Costs necessarily incurred by the parties for the purposes of the proceedings before the Board of Appeal shall be regarded as recoverable costs.

1.   An appeal shall be brought by lodging an application at the Registry of the General Court or at the Registry of the Civil Service Tribunal.

2.   The Registry of the Civil Service Tribunal shall immediately transmit to the Registry of the General Court the file in the case at first instance and, where necessary, the appeal.

1.   An appeal shall contain:

2.   The appeal shall state the date on which the decision appealed against was served on the appellant.

3.   An appeal brought by a legal person governed by private law shall be accompanied by recent proof of that person's existence in law (extract from the register of companies, firms or associations or any other official document).

4.   The appeal shall be accompanied by the documents referred to in Article 51(2) and (3).

5.   Article 77 shall apply.

6.   If an appeal does not comply with paragraphs 2 to 4, the Registrar shall prescribe a reasonable time limit within which the appellant is to put the appeal in order. If the appellant fails to put the appeal in order within the time limit prescribed, the General Court shall decide whether the non-compliance with that procedural requirement renders the appeal formally inadmissible.

1.   An appeal shall seek to have set aside, in whole or in part, the decision of the Civil Service Tribunal as set out in the operative part of that decision.

2.   The pleas in law and legal arguments relied on shall identify precisely those points in the grounds of the decision of the Civil Service Tribunal that are contested.

1.   An appeal shall seek, in the event that it is declared well founded, the same form of order, in whole or in part, as that sought at first instance and shall not seek a different form of order. The subject-matter of the proceedings before the Civil Service Tribunal may not be changed in the appeal.

2.   Where the appellant requests that the case be referred back to the Civil Service Tribunal in the event of the decision appealed against being set aside, he shall set out the reasons why the state of the proceedings does not permit a decision by the General Court.

1.   The appeal shall be served on the other parties to the relevant case before the Civil Service Tribunal. Article 80(1) shall apply.

2.   Where Article 194(6) applies, service shall be effected as soon as the appeal has been put in order or the General Court has declared it admissible notwithstanding the failure to observe the formal requirements laid down by that Article.

1.   A response shall contain: