Press Service - Media Guide
The Press and Information Unit is the point of contact for media wishing to know more about the work of the Court of Justice of the European Union. It offers many services designed specifically for the press to provide essential and timely information.
Please note that the Court does not have an official spokesperson. The Court communicates only through its official decisions.
Who to contact
The Press and Information Unit has a number of Press Officers, each responsible for the media of one or more EU Member States or official EU languages. Contact details for each Press Officer can be found on this page.
Press services offered by the Court
Together, the Unit offers a variety of services to assist media professionals.
- Press releases summarise the key points of judgments and Opinions. They may also cover certain events, such as formal sittings or official visits. Press releases are available on the Curia website, through an app, and via RSS feed.
- Newsletters announce upcoming major events such as deliveries of judgments and Opinions as well as hearings in important cases one or the weeks before they actually take place. They typically contain a short summary of the cases announced.
- Email updates: Journalists can contact a member of the Press and Information Unit and ask to be added to an email distribution list for press releases and updates to the Court’s diary. For more information on data protection, see our data protection policy.
- Queries submitted via the Curia website: Journalists can also contact a member of the Press and Information Unit by choosing the “press” option on the contact form on the Curia website. The answer will be sent to the email address they have indicated in the contact form.
- Court diary: The Court diary covers a five-week period. It provides details on scheduled hearings and the delivery of judgments and Opinions.
- Full text of judgments and Opinion: The full texts of judgments and Opinions are available on the case-law database on the Curia website, typically from 12:00 CET on the day of delivery.
- Interview organisation: Journalists can submit requests to interview Judges and Advocates General through the appropriate member of the Press and Information Unit.
- Explanations and clarifications: Press officers are available to provide explanations or clarifications of legal terminology and questions of law related to the Courts’ decisions.
- Social media: The Court’s social media accounts share updates on key decisions and certain institutional events.
Attending hearings and judgments
Most hearings and the deliveries of judgments are public. Journalists are welcome to attend in person at the Court. Some judgments and hearings are also streamed live. For more information, see our page on attending a hearing.
Journalists who wish to attend a hearing or a delivery of a judgment should apply for accreditation in advance by submitting the accreditation form.
A press room is available for accredited journalists.
Please note that hearings cannot be recorded and the use of electronic devices in the courtroom is strictly prohibited.
Broadcast and audiovisual media
It is possible to record the delivery of a judgment or Advocate General’s Opinion. It is also possible to record the announcement at the start of a hearing. However, hearings cannot be recorded.
Filming or recording judgments is only possible with prior authorisation from the Press and Information Unit.
Photographers and camera operators may not move around the courtroom to take pictures. Flashes may not be used.
In cases of high media interest, the number of cameras in the courtroom will be reduced and a media pool will be organised.
Photos and audiovisual material
Stock images and images of specific judgments and events are available through the Court’s multimedia page and via Europe by Satellite, the European Commission’s audiovisual service. Please read our copyright notice before using this material.
