The Court of First Instance of the European Communities:History - Organization - Procedure

Also available in French
Since 25 September 1989 the European legal scene has been enriched by the presence of the Court of First Instance.
The European Institute of Public Administration, keeping as usual its ear permanently to the ground with respect to European decisions, anticipated this development by organizing (on 18 and 19 May 1989) the first colloquium on the Court of First Instance. It was targeted at judges, lawyers, academics and public servants involved in Community legal matters.
Presided by Judge Constantinos N. Kakouris, with the assistance of speakers. Prof. Dr Hans Joachim Glaesner, Prof. Hjalte Rasmussen, Prof. Vassili Christianos and Mr Georges Friden, this activity not only made it possible to draw up a general picture of the principles governing the Court of First Instance of the European Communities but also to inform the jurists from the Member States of this new institution and of the implications at national and European level of its creation.
Several subjects were dealt with at this colloquium, in particular the history of and the raisons d'etre for setting up this Court, its competences and procedures and the appeal before the Court of Justice.
It also offered an informal forum for discussion to representatives from the Court of Justice and other participants.
An attempt was finally made to take a preliminary step towards answering questions on its rules of operation.
This publication contains the articles on which the lectures at the seminar were based, with a preface by Prof. Spyros A. Pappas, Director-General, EIPA, plus the ceremonial speeches given at the inauguration of the Court of First Instance on 25 September 1989.