Gabon

1. Composition and structure

Number of members:

21 judges and 12 clerks.

Recruitment procedures and incompatibilities:

The Council of State is made up of magistrates having reached the rank "Out of hierarchy".

Internal organization:

The Council of State is composed of judges (sitting either in Consultative Chambers or in Contentions Chambers ), of public prosecutors (General Commissioner of the Law and Commissioners of the law ), of the secretary general's office, of the Research and Documentation office and of the committee supervising the implementation of the Council's decisions.

Publications:

Every year a report on the council's activities is given to the President of the Republic. The judgements pronounced during the year are put together.

2. Jurisdictional attributions and advice

2.1. Court functions

Jurisdiction:

Disputes concerning:

• Annulment of administrative acts;
 
• State liability.

Organisation of the courts system:

• Council of State
 
• Administrative Courts of appeal
 
• Administrative Tribunals.

Powers of the judge:

The administrative judge has the power to annul a decision. He can also award damages.

2.2. Advisory functions

Existence and extent of the advisory authority:

The council, gives its opinion on the bills and the drafts of ordinances and decrees.

Authority and publicity of the advices:

The advices of the council do not oblige the Government. It occurs only rarely that the latter does not take them into account. The advices are not published.