Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2015/2422 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2015 amending Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union
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 25 December 2015;
(b)
47 Judges as from 1 September 2016;
(c)
two Judges per Member State as from 1 September 2019.’.
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 25 December 2015 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.
1. By 26 December 2020, 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 26 December 2017, 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.
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
