EU insists on need for changes in selection of Constitutional Court judges based on Venice Commission recommendations

This is stated in the comments of the spokesman of the European Commission Peter Stano.

"The EU is also closely monitoring the alignment of the reform of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU) with the recommendations of the Commission’s opinion on the EU membership application of Ukraine to ensure  that this process is done in line with Venice Commission recommendations," he said.

According to him, the EU welcomes Ukraine's "significant efforts in consolidating the rule of law" amid the ongoing Russian aggression. In particular he commended the appointment by the Congress of Judges of eight new members of the Ukraine’s High Council of Justice, as well as the reform of the High Council of Justice.

At the same time, Peter Stano emphasizes that the Venice Commission recommended to exclude candidates to the CCU on the basis of professional competence and to increase the number of members of the Advisory Group of Experts from six to seven, with the seventh member to be elected under the quota of international donors.

"The European Commission expects Ukraine to align its legislation accordingly.

 By introducing these changes, Ukraine would not only advance on its EU membership process, but it will foster the trust of Ukrainian citizens in the country’s judiciary," Stano added.

• In December 2022, G7 ambassadors recalled that justice reform is one of the key conditions for Ukraine's movement towards the EU.

• On January 12, the Congress of Judges elected all 8 members of the High Council of Justice (HCJ). The Council of Judges emphasized that the election of candidates from the Ukrainian Congress of Judges will unblock the work of the High Council of Justice and restore its institutional capacity to make decisions, as with the newly elected members, the HCJ will have 15 members, which is the necessary quorum for the work of the collective body.