The European Union is an international and regional organization in the United Kingdom which unites a variety of countries within the region. These countries may carry out similar activities and are governed by the same rules and procedures. Both international and regional organizations are crucial as they assist countries in formulating laws and policies that aim to increase the productivity of the region. The European Union (EU) is among the most successful international organizations in the world. This article will aim to discuss the different courts that govern the justice system in the EU, namely; the European Court of Justice and the General Court. Furthermore, it will outline the functions, staff and procedures governing the aforementioned courts within the European Union. A brief history of the development of the EU The origin of the EU dates back to the 1951 Treaty of Paris, signed to form the Community Coal Europe. and Steel Community (CECA) from Belgium, France, Italy, West Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. In 1957 these six members also signed the treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC). Subsequently, in 1967, the EEC became the European Community (EC), and in 1973 Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom joined the EC. Greece joined in 1981 and Portugal and Spain in 1986. Subsequently, the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992 and created the current EU. The EU has a variety of bodies that govern its day-to-day operations, including; the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU), the European Court of Auditors and the European Central Bank. Different EU bodies carry out different responsibilities. The European Parliament has the mandate to share the...... middle of paper ......ment by supporting or opposing the claims of one of the parties who then have the right to respond. The intervener has the right to present his observations also during the oral phase in which the public hearing takes place. Once the lawyers of both parties have been heard, the judges have the right to ask questions to the representatives of the parties. The court has a judge-rapporteur who summarizes a report for the hearing, the facts asserted and the arguments presented by each party and also those of those present when necessary. The document is drawn up in the only procedural language. The judges rely on the aforementioned report to draw up a sentence which is then pronounced publicly. The aforementioned procedure is exempt from court costs as only lawyers are entitled to the compensation of the people they represent. Inability to meet costs may justify an individual seeking legal aid.