According to its judicial statistics for the year 2022, the CJEU confirms a structural increase in the number of cases brought before the Court of Justice and the General Court of the European Union. As in previous years, both courts together received more than 1500 cases.

The key statistics for both courts:

• In 2022, the Court of Justice received 806 new cases, the General Court 904 new cases;
• Both courts completed 1666 cases;
• 2585 cases were pending before both courts.

The key statistics for the Court of Justice:

• The average duration of preliminary ruling proceedings before the court increased slightly from 16.7 months in 2021 to 17.3 months in 2022;
• The court noted an increased number of cases with sensitive and complex issues, calling for greater reflection and time;
• References for a preliminary ruling came mainly from German (98), Italian (63), Bulgarian (43), Spanish (41), and Polish (39) courts.

The key statistics for the General Court:

• The year 2022 was marked by the emergence of cases involving the restrictive measures adopted by the EU in the context of the war in Ukraine;
• Cases involving restrictive measures represented 11.4% of all new cases brought before the court in 2022;
• The average duration of proceedings closed by judgment or by order was 16.2 months (compared to 17.3 months in 2021) and 20.4 months for cases closed by judgment only.

To preserve its capacity to deliver high-quality decisions within a reasonable time, the Court of Justice submitted on 30 November 2022 a request to the EU legislature with a view to amending Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the EU. In concrete terms, the Court of Justice is seeking a transfer of jurisdiction to the General Court to give preliminary rulings in certain specific areas:

• The common system of value added tax;
• Excise duties;
• The Customs Code and the tariff classification of goods under the Combined Nomenclature;
• Compensation and assistance to passengers;
• The scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading.

It is also seeking an extension of the mechanism to determine whether an appeal can be allowed to proceed against decisions of the General Court.