This seminar provides a practical approach to the Court of Justice of the European Union’s proceedings and deepens the participants’ knowledge on the different procedures entertained before the Court as well as the written and oral phases of the Courts’ proceedings. The course will primarily deal with the procedures from a practical point of view: how to draft the application; the response; the reply and the rejoinder; and how to prepare for the oral hearing; what to expect from an appeal legal aid, translation and how to submit documents to the Court.

The programme mainly consists of presentations of the major types of procedures before the Court of Justice of the European Union – the preliminary reference procedure, annulment procedure and the infringement procedure - and discussions based on case studies and presentations of practical tips. The discussions will evolve around the practical aspects of these procedures, providing insight for the participants of dos and donts, the most frequent situations practitioners face and common mistakes to avoid. 

Experts from the Courts and experienced practitioners will provide participants with both, theoretical background information and practical examples from their daily work. Taking a practical approach and using real life examples, the seminar will discuss the written and oral proceedings, as well as the litigation strategy before the Court of Justice and the General Court from the perspectives of both, plaintiff and defendant.

The course also comprises a visit to the Court of Justice of the European Union including attending to a hearing and briefing provided by the Court of Justice of the European Union.

How will the course help you?
This seminar will provide participants with a comprehensive overview about enforcement of EU law in general and the procedures before the Court of Justice of the European Union in particular. Participants will gain extensive knowledge about the litigation procedures before the EU Courts and a clear understanding of particular procedural aspects, practical problems and their role in the proceedings. Practical guidance will be provided as to literally how to litigate before the Court of Justice of the European Union through the explanation of procedural rules in context. In this vain participants will gain a thorough understanding of the procedural mechanisms of the Court of Justice of the European Union and will be better equipped to appear and litigate before the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Who will benefit the most? 
This seminar addresses the needs of lawyers, judges and government legal representatives who apply European Union law in their work, and require a deeper understanding of different litigation procedures before the Court of Justice of the European Union. Other members of the legal and judicial professions, academics, and people working in national and European administrations who are involved in topics concerning the functioning of the European Courts will also benefit from this seminar. The programme is also relevant to private practicing lawyers, consultants and other interested actors from the private sector, who wish to update their knowledge of the procedures before the CJEU and obtain a comprehensive overview.