by Leila Medina*
INTRODUCTION
Compared to the estimated age of our planet, which is 4.54 billion years, the anniversary of the Columbia Journal of European Law that we celebrate today may seem infinitely small. However, 30 years is the average time it takes for most trees to reach full maturity. I am therefore delighted to join you in celebrating this significant milestone, confident in the knowledge that the Columbia Journal of European Law has been nurturing the seeds for many passionate individuals in EU Law to grow with confidence and achieve their own maturity. Therefore, in my speech today, both the Journal and the tree will play pivotal roles.
* Advocate general, Court of Justice of European Union. All the views expressed are personal opinions of the author. The speech was delivered as part of 30-year anniversary event for the Columbia Journal ofEuropean Law. I sincerely thank Zaneta Mikosa and Lorenzo Scarcella for their tireless support in the preparation process.
