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Justice of the Supreme Administrative Court, Doctor of Laws Niilo Jääskinen starts as Judge at the European Court of Justice

Government Communications Department
Publication date 7.10.2019 10.57
Press release 503/2019

Niilo Jääskinen (Doctor of Laws, trained on the bench) starts his two-year term at the European Court of Justice on 7 October 2019. The Government nominated him as Finland’s candidate for the post on 13 September 2018. The EU-level evaluation panel gave a positive opinion on his candidacy, and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States decided on the appointment on 1 February 2019.

The European Court of Justice is composed of 28 Judges, one from each Member State. The Judges are appointed for a term of office of six years, which is renewable. The term of office of Mr Jääskinen is two years, as it is the last two years of the six-year term of Mr Allan Rosas that started on 7 October 2015. He had served as Finland’s Judge of the European Court of Justice since 2002.

Before the appointment to the European Court of Justice, Mr Jääskinen served as Justice of the Supreme Administrative Court. In 2009–2015, he served as Advocate General at the European Court of Justice. He has held several important positions concerned with legislative matters within the central government, and has also published numerous academic papers and books on EU law.

Along with the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union is one of the key institutions of the European Union. The Court has its seat in Luxembourg and it consists of two courts: the European Court of Justice and the General Court. As the highest court of the European Union, the European Court of Justice ensures that the EU treaties and EU legislation are interpreted and applied in accordance with the law.

Inquiries: Kare Halonen, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 319 and Heidi Kaila, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Legislative Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 313, Prime Minister’s Office