In the light of the recent judgment of the Court of Justice in the Valančius case, this article offers some reflections on the procedure to appoint judges to the Court of Justice and the General Court. To this end, the author firstly analyzes the current mechanism of appointment in the light of the specific nature of European Court of Justice in the panorama of international courts. Then, the article focues on how the selection process of judges can affect their independence and autonomy. Finally, the Valančius case is examined with a view to proposing some critical observations on the issue at hand.
