Government proposal for the nomination of a European Union Special Representative for Human Rights

Prof. Dr Verica Trstenjak is a renowned Slovenian legal expert with extensive international experience who has dedicated her professional life to human rights and fundamental freedoms. During her career, she has held various positions in national public and educational institutions. She has also been a member of various international bodies. In her professional work, she has demonstrated a commitment to promoting the rule of law, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms. Active in these fields for over 30 years, she has gained academic experience as a professor, lecturing on EU law and human rights at several European universities, including the University of Vienna, the University of Ljubljana and the University of Maribor. In 2026, she was elected Vice‑President of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA). Prof. Dr Trstenjak is the author of numerous academic articles on human rights and has written a commentary on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (in the Slovene language). She also has experience of working in public office. Between 1996 and 2000, she served as State Secretary for Science at the then Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia. In her work, she collaborates with non-governmental organisations, is active in the European Women Lawyers' Association (EWLA) and serves as President of EWLA Slovenia. Over the past 25 years, Prof. Dr Trstenjak has held various positions in international organisations and EU institutions, including serving as an alternate member of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, as a judge and substitute judge at the Court of Justice of the European Union, and as Advocate General at the same court. She was also a member of both the Management and the Executive Boards of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and is currently a member of the Administrative Board of Review (ABOR) at the European Central Bank.