Jan. 16th, 2017, the title of Honorary Doctor was awarded to the President of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) Prof. Koen Lenaerts during a ceremony at Mykolas Romeris University. Minister of Justice Milda Vainiūtė, Supreme Court Chairman Prof. R. Norkus, Constitutional Court Chairman Prof. Dainius Žalimas, Seimas parliament members, academics, lawyers and MRU professors and members of the academic community attended. MRU Senate Chairman Prof. Gintaras Aleknonis presided over the event. Law Faculty Dean Prof. Lyra Jakulevičienė introduced Court President Prof. Lenaerts. She outlined his many accomplishments, publications and achievements. The MRU String Quartet performed at the event. Earlier in the day Prof. Lenaerts also met with Premier Saulius Skvernelis, Constitutional Court Chairman Prof. Žalimas and participated in a discussion about relations between EU Courts and national courts and cooperation principles in Lithuania's Supreme Court. Members of the MRU Senate last October decided to recognize Prof. Lenaerts for his significant role in developing the idea of European integration and for outstanding research in European Union (EU) law. He draws upon such values as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights and its most important Institutes, developing jurisprudence of EU Law, and for fostering Europe's studies and research sphere. Lenaerts, 61, is a Professor of European Law at the Katholieke Universities Leuven. He studied law at KU Leuven and Harvard University. He has been full professor at KU Leuven since 1983. In 1990, he founded the Institute for European Law. From 1989 to 2003, he was a judge at the Court of First Instance of the European Communities. Since 2003, he has been a member of the Court of Justice of the European Union – first as a judge, and since 2012 as Vice-President. Currently he is President of the CJEU, based in Luxembourg. His term ends in October 2018. The Court of Justice ensures that all EU countries apply the same legislative interpretations. The Court settles legal differences between national governments and EU institutions. Private individuals, companies, and organisations can also bring cases before the court when they believe their rights were violated by an EU institution.