A Maltese judge serving in the European Union's General Court has been nominated by the government to sit on the European Court of Justice. 

Photo: UoM

Peter Xuereb must pass a screening process and have his nomination ratified by all the European Union's member states before he can be accepted as an ECJ judge. Should he be successful, he will take over from Mr Justice Anthony Borg Barthet, who has served at the court since 2004. 

The ECJ is tasked with interpreting EU law and ensuring its equal application across all EU member states. It is comprised of one judge from each member state, with cases usually heard by panels of three, five or 15 judges. 

Judges serve six year terms which can be renewed. Mr Justice Borg Barthet's term will come to an end in October. 

Prof. Xuereb was nominated to the EU General Court in 2016. Prior to that, he served as head of the University of Malta's department of European and Comparative Law and chair of its Institute of European Studies. 

A Cambridge scholar who has served as a visiting professor in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Italy, Prof. Xuereb has also served multiple terms as a member of the University of Malta senate. 

In a statement announcing his nomination, the government said it was convinced Prof. Xuereb would prove his worth as an ECJ judge, just as he had during his time at the EU General Court. 

It thanked Mr Justice Borg Barthet for his service at the EU's highest court.