1.The hearing officer may upon request or in the cases and under the conditions set out in the basic Regulations, organise and conduct two types of hearings: hearings between an individual interested party or a group of interested parties with similar interests and the Commission services responsible for the investigation, and hearings among interested parties with different interests.
2.A hearing can cover any issue which arises at any moment of a trade proceeding and could affect the rights of the interested parties.
3.Natural persons invited to attend a hearing shall either appear in person or be represented by a legal representative. Legal persons invited to attend a hearing shall be represented by a duly authorised agent appointed from among their permanent staff.
4.Natural or legal persons invited to attend a hearing organised by the hearing officer may be assisted by a legal adviser or another qualified person outside their permanent staff admitted by the hearing officer.
5.This Article is without prejudice to the right to a hearing under the basic Regulations.