Committee on Legal Affairs plans to increase the number of judges at the General Court by 12 to ease the growing workload of the EU Court of Justice was backed on Thursday by the Committee for Legal Affairs. In addition, the committee proposes that the additional judges should be selected based on merits instead of nationality.
“An increase in the number of judges in the General Court is urgently needed. It is extremely important that the General Court is in a position to deliver judgments within a reasonable period”, lead MEP Alexandra Thein (ALDE, DE) said before the vote.
“My proposal disregards the additional judges’ nationality. Instead appointments should be made based on their suitability. Member States’ concern about where posts go must not be allowed to put a strain on the rule of law in the EU”, she added.
The number of new cases at the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) has increased steadily over the last years, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the increase of potential cases, while the number of judges remained unchanged. To ease the workload of the ECJ, the Legal Affairs Committee gave its support to increase the number of judges at the General Court by 12. According to the proposal, there will be one judge per Member State and 12 additional ones.
Additional judges to be selected by merits
Legal affairs MEPs propose that the 12 additional judges should be selected based on their professional and personal suitability, regardless of the Member State of origin. However, there shall be no more than two Judges for any Member State, the report adds. The resolution was approved by 23 votes in favour, and 1 against.
Source: European Parliament
