Article 51

1. Where the Office considers it necessary to hear the oral evidence of parties, witnesses or experts or to carry out an inspection, it shall take an interim decision to that end, stating the means by which it intends to obtain the evidence, the relevant facts to be proved and the date, time and place of hearing or inspection. Where the hearing of oral evidence of witnesses or experts is requested by a party, the Office shall determine in its decision the period within which that party must make known to the Office the names and addresses of the witnesses or experts.

2. The summons of parties, witnesses or experts to give evidence shall contain:

(a) an extract from the decision referred to in paragraph 1, indicating the date, time and place of the hearing ordered and stating the facts regarding which the parties, witnesses and experts are to be heard;

(b) the names of the parties to the proceedings and particulars of the rights which the witnesses or experts may invoke under Article 54(2) to (5).

The summons shall also offer to the parties, witnesses or experts being summoned the possibility to take part in the oral proceedings by videoconference or other technical means.

3. Article 50(2) shall apply mutatis mutandis.