Employees of the EPO may use any one of English, French or German in the course of all oral proceedings. If, prior to the commencement of oral proceedings, an employee is aware that he may need to use a language other than the language of the proceedings, he should ensure that the parties involved are informed of his intention. However, employees should not depart from the language of the proceedings without good reason, and unless the parties involved are competent in the language used and express no objection, the EPO should provide for interpreting into the language of the proceedings at its own expense.