By decision of 29 May 1997 the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States appointed seven Judges and four Advocates General to the Court of Justice for the period from 7 October 1997 to 6 October 2003.

By that decision the terms of office of Mr Claus Gulmann, Mr John Murray, Mr Gil Carlos Rodríguez Iglesias (at present the President of the Court), Mr Romain Schintgen, Mr Leif Sevón and Mr Melchior Wathelet, Judges, and of Mr Francis Jacobs and Mr Dámaso Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer, Advocates General, are renewed.

Since three Members of the Court ceased their duties on 6 October 1997, the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States also appointed their successors. The outgoing Members are Mr Constantinos Kakouris, Judge at the Court of Justice since 14 March 1983, Mr Carl Otto Lenz, Advocate General at the Court of Justice since 11 January 1984, and Mr Michael Bendik Elmer, Advocate General at the Court of Justice since 7 October 1994.

Accordingly, on 6 October 1997 the Court of Justice of the European Communities held a formal sitting on the occasion of the end of the term of office and the departure of Mr C.N. Kakouris, Judge, and Mr C.O. Lenz, Advocate General, and of the entry into office of Mr Krateros Ioannou as Judge and Mr Siegbert Alber as Advocate General.

Mr Jean Mischo has taken up his duties as Advocate General in place of Mr M.B. Elmer and, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaties, took the oath at a formal sitting of the Court of Justice on 18 December 1997.

Jean Mischo, born in 1938, of Luxembourg nationality, studied law and political sciences at the universities of Montpellier, Paris and Cambridge. He was a member of the Commission Legal Service, Principal Administrator in the private offices of two Members of the Commission, occupied various high-ranking posts in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy and was Deputy Permanent Representative of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to the European Communities. After having been Advocate General at the Court of Justice from January 1986 to October 1991, Mr Mischo returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg where he carried out the duties of Ambassador/Secretary General from 1 January 1993.