Our Insights

The CJEU has issued a press release setting out the proposed reforms to the EU court system. The proposal “aims to reinforce the efficiency of justice at EU level in a sustainable manner in the interest of EU citizens”.

The case load of the General Court has increased significantly in recent years, from 398 cases in 2000 to 912 cases in 2014. This increase is set to continue.

In light of this issue and of the complexity of cases before the court, the court’s proposal is to create extra judges according to the following schedule:
It is hoped that this reform will allow the General Court to stop the increase in the number of pending cases and begin disposing of its caseload, and that it will simplify the judicial structure of the EU, enhance its overall efficiency and promote consistency in its case law.

• 2015: increase of 12 judges;
• 2016: upon renewal of the mandates of the General Court’s members in September, there will be an additional 7 judges appointed through the merging of the Civil Service Tribunal with the General Court. This will bring the number of General Court judges to 47; and
• In 2019, at the next renewal of the mandates of the General Court’s members, the number of judges will increase by nine, bringing the total number of judges to 56.

The total net cost of the reform for all three phases is calculated at €13.875m per year.