The creation of the Ethics Council, decided by the Court's plenary in December, is integrated into the existing resolution on judicial ethics which already provided that the Court's President has a key role in giving advice on this matter. The President will now thus formally be supported on these issues by the coming Ethics Council. According to the Court's press release:
'The Plenary Court has decided that its President will now be able to consult an Ethics Council whenever he or she considers it necessary to give guidance to a Judge seeking advice on compliance with the ethical standards in a given situation. The Ethics Council will have competence to give guidance regarding serving, ad hoc and former judges. Guidance can also concern the Court itself, as an institution.
The Ethics Council will be made up of five members: the most senior Vice-President of the Court, the most senior Section President and the three most senior sitting judges. The Ethics Council will be assisted by the Registrar of the Court.'