The Hearing Officer's task of ensuring the effective exercise of procedural rights also applies to commitments and cartel settlement procedures. Where parties to proceedings offer commitments pursuant to Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2003, they may approach the Hearing Officer at any time during the Article 9 procedure if they are concerned about the effective exercise of their procedural rights. The same is true for parties in cartel proceedings that have engaged in settlement discussions pursuant to Article 10a of Regulation (EC) No 773/2004.