TITLE III

PROCEDURE

Representation of and assistance to the parties

Article 20

The States and the institutions of the Community shall be represented before the Court by an  agent appointed for each case; the agent may be assisted by a lawyer entitled to practise  before a court of a Member State.

Undertakings and all other natural or legal persons must be assisted by a lawyer entitled to  practise before a court of a Member State.

Such agents and lawyers shall, when they appear before the Court, enjoy the rights and  immunities necessary to the independent exercise of their duties under conditions laid down  in rules drawn up by the Court and submitted for the approval of the Council, acting  unanimously. ( * )

( * ) Third paragraph as amended by Article 8( 3 )( c ) of the Merger Treaty.

As regards such lawyers who appear before it, the Court shall have the powers normally  accorded to courts of law, under conditions laid down in those rules.

University teachers being nationals of a Member State whose law accords them a right of  audience shall have the same rights before the Court as are accorded by this Article to lawyers  entitled to practise before a court of a Member State.

Stages of procedures

Article 21

The procedure before the Court shall consist of two parts: written and oral.

The written procedure shall consist of the communication to the parties and to the institutions  of the Community whose decisions are in dispute of applications, statements of case, defences  and observations, and of replies, if any, as well as of all papers and documents in support or  of certified copies of them.

Communications shall be made by the Registrar in the order and within the time laid down in  the Rules of Procedure.

The oral procedure shall consist of the reading of the report presented by a Judge acting as  Rapporteur, the hearing by the Court of witnesses, experts, agents, and lawyers entitled to  practise before a court of a Member State and of the submissions of the Advocate General.

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