According to well-informed sources, the appointment of four new UPC judges has been blocked by France, Belgium and Italy, as they insisted that a working group be established first in order to discuss the perceived uneven distribution of cases among the various UPC divisions.
The block is remarkable, as the appointment of the new UPC judges – according to the same sources – was intended to help solve the imbalance.
Earlier this year, the UPC’s Advisory Committee requested input from a number of stakeholder organisations (including EPLAW) on the same topic. It delivered its advice to the UPC Administrative Committee in May 2026. The UPC Presidium in June 2026 endorsed the advice given by the Advisory Committee.
The block causes a significant delay in the appointment of new UPC judges, as the next meeting of the Advisory Committee where the appointment of new UPC judges can be discussed is scheduled for 10 February 2027.
