Christine Stix-Hackl — Austrian jurist, Advocate General and diplomat

Overview of roles and significance

Stix-Hackl served as Advocate General at the European Court of Justice from 2000 to 2006, a role in which she delivered independent legal opinions on cases before the Court. In 2005 she became Premier Avocat général (First Advocate General), making her the second woman to hold that office in the Court’s history. After her ECJ tenure she moved into diplomacy, serving as Austria’s Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and later as Permanent Representative to the UN and related agencies in Vienna.

Function and impact as Advocate General

The Office of Advocate General provides reasoned, impartial opinions to assist the Court of Justice of the European Union in complex matters of EU law. Stix-Hackl’s work in that capacity involved analysis of legal questions across the single market, institutional law and the interpretation of EU treaties. As Premier Avocat général she coordinated the work of the Advocates General and acted as a leading voice within that consultative chamber, thereby contributing to the development of European jurisprudence during a period of enlargement and legal consolidation.

Diplomatic service and multilateral representation

Following her service at the ECJ, Stix-Hackl was appointed Austrian Ambassador to Luxembourg from 2007 until 2012. She then became Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Vienna and to international organizations there, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Preparatory Commission. In these positions she represented Austrian positions in discussions on nuclear safety, non-proliferation, industrial development and disarmament verification.

Timeline and notable posts

• Born 13 November 1957.
• Advocate General, European Court of Justice, 2000–2006; Premier Avocat général in 2005.
• Austrian Ambassador to Luxembourg, 2007–2012.
• Permanent Representative to the UN (Vienna), IAEA, UNIDO and CTBTO, June 2012–2018.

For further information on her legal work and judicial opinions see the official profiles and case records linked here. Reporting on her later assignments and passing can be consulted via diplomatic notices and press coverage linked here.

Christine Stix-Hackl died in Vienna on 24 October 2018 at the age of 60. Her death was reported to be caused by a heart attack after returning from Luxembourg. Colleagues and commentators remembered her for both legal expertise and dedicated public service across judicial and diplomatic spheres.