The Seimas approved the candidacies of I. Jarukaitis and R. Norkaus for positions at the EU Court of Justice

I. Jarukaitis is proposed for one more term as a judge of this court, and the judge of the General Court of the EU Rimvydas Norkus – as a general advocate of the CJEU.

105 members of the Seimas voted for the candidacy of I. Jarukaitis, none were against, two abstained, for R. Norkaus – 106, none were against, two parliamentarians abstained.

I. Jarukaitis has been working as a judge of the ECJ for the past five and a half years. He was the only one who overcame the set requirements barrier in the selection.

Lithuania is submitting a candidate for the position of General Advocate of the CJEU for the first time.

According to the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, the Advocate General is a member of the Court of Justice, and he provides an impartial and independent opinion in public hearings on cases in which he is required to participate according to the Statute of the Court of Justice.

R. Norkus recently served as a judge of the ECJ, in 2014-2019 he was the president of the Supreme Court of Lithuania, in 2016-2019 he headed the Council of Judges, he also worked in the Court of Appeal, worked at Mykolas Romeris University.

The Court of Justice consists of one judge from each EU country and 11 advocates general. They are appointed for a term of six years with the right to appoint them for another term. Judges and advocates-general are selected from persons whose independence is beyond doubt and who meet the requirements of their respective country for the highest judicial office, or who are legal specialists of recognized competence.