By decision of 25 May 1998 the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States appointed two Judges to the Court of First Instance for the period from 17 September 1998 to 31 August 2004.

By that decision the terms of office of Mr Bo VESTERDORF (currently President of the Court of First Instance), Mr Josef AZIZI, Mr Marc JAEGER, Mr Koenraad LENAERTS, Mr Rui Manuel Gens de MOURA RAMOS et Mme Virpi TIILI, Judges, are renewed.

Since two Members of the Court of First Instance ceased their duties on 16 September 1998, the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States also appointed their successors. The outgoing Members are Mr Andreas KALOGEROPOULOS, Judge at the Court of First Instance since 18 September 1992, and Mr Cornelius Paulus BRIËT, Judge at the Court of First Instance since 25 September 1989.

Mr Arjen W. H. Meij, replacing Mr C. P. Briët, and Mr Michael Vilaras, replacing Mr A. Kalogeropoulos, entered into office and took the oath, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaties, at the formal sitting of the Court of Justice of the European Communities on 17 September 1998.

Mr Arjen W. H. MEIJ, born in 1944; Justice at the Supreme Court of the Netherlands (1996); Judge and Vice-President at the College van Beroep voor het Bedrijfsleven (Administrative Court for Trade and Industry) (1986), Judge Substitute at the Court of Appeal for Social Security, and Substitute Member of the Administrative Court for Customs Tariff Matters; Legal Secretary at the Court of Justice of the European Communities (1980); Lecturer in European Law in the Law Faculty of the University of Groningen and Research Assistant at the University of Michigan Law School; Staff Member of the International Secretariat of the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (1970); Judge at the Court of First Instance from 17 September 1998.

Mr Michael VILARAS, born in 1950; lawyer; Junior Member of the Greek Council of State; Member of the Greek Council of State; Associate Member of the Superior Special Court of Greece; national expert with the Legal Service of the European Commission, then Principal Administrator in DG V (Employment, Industrial Relations, Social Affairs); Director of the Legal Service of the Greek Government; Judge at the Court of First Instance from 17 September 1998.