Government confirms Küllike Jürimäe Estonia's ECJ candidate

Küllike Jürimäe has been confirmed Estonia's candidate for the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ), replacing Heiki Loot, whose candidacy was rejected last year. Jürimäe's resume includes work as a judge at the General Court of the European Union and on the Tallinn Circuit Court, as well as, most recently, the ECJ itself.
The government approved Jürimäe's candidacy at its regular Thursday meeting, following a public competitive process to find the candidate held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The term of office runs for six years, from October 6 this year.
The ministry set up a commission comprising its own minister, a representative from the justice ministry, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the State Secretary and a representative of the Chancellor of Justice.
Heiki Loot was put forward by the last administration on November 5 2020, but the committee rejected his candidacy, based on the provisions of Article 255 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Jürimäe has been working as a judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union since 2013, after stints on the bench of the General Court of the EU and, before that, as a judge with the second-tier Tallinn Circuit Court.
She has also worked at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kaubanduskoda), and the Prosecutor's Office.
The next step sees the Riigikogu's constitutional affairs committee interviewing Jürimäe, which should then be followed by her formal presentation before the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union.
A panel formed according to Article 255 will again also assess Jürimäe's suitability.
If successful, the candidate will be ultimately appointed by representatives of the governments of the 27 member states.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte