New rules have been introduced to the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union to modernize procedural handling at both the Court of Justice and the General Court.
It is worth noting that the amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice establish the procedures for the initial handling of requests for preliminary rulings submitted to the Court of Justice to determine the competent court to handle them.
Moreover, they introduce the necessary provisions to ensure a swift handling of requests for preliminary rulings that the General Court refers to the Court of Justice, as these may require a ruling on a principle likely to affect the unity or coherence of Union law.
The amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the General Court focus on certain aspects of the structure and organization of the General Court, providing for the creation of an Intermediate Chamber between the chambers of five judges and the Grand Chamber composed of fifteen judges, which will consist of nine judges and will be presided over by the VP of the General Court. Requests for preliminary rulings will be assigned to chambers specifically responsible for handling these cases, formed by five judges, without prejudice to the possibility of referring them to another formation, depending on the complexity and importance of the case.
The partial transfer of preliminary ruling jurisdiction from the Court of Justice to the General Court will be applicable starting from October 1, 2024.
