Antonio Saggio (19 February 1934 in Naples – 26 January 2010 in Rome).
Legal career.
Antonio Saggio was born in Naples on 19 February 1934. He received a degree in Law from the University of Naples, with a thesis in international law entitled "War of Peoples or of Armies?" Beginning his career as a magistrate, he was quickly appointed Judge of the Ordinary Courts (first instance). In 1973, he was appointed to the Court of Appeals and from 1974 to 1978 he provided counsel to the Legal Office of the Minister of Justice. In 1980, he was appointed to the Rome Court of Cassation (last instance) Research Office of the Constitutional Court where he reviewed and prepared briefs and provided counsel to the sitting court. From 1988 to 1989, he served as a member of the Council of Advisors to the Chief Justice. In 2001, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Cassation Civil Division I, a position he held through 2005.
International Law and Negotiations.
From 1977 to 1978, he represented the Government of Italy in the negotiations to conclude an agreement on the extradition of persons accused of crimes of terrorism (Conferences of Copenhagen, Brussels and London). In 1978, he represented the Government of Italy in the United Nations Committee for the examination of the Convention on Terrorism and Hijacking. From 1985 to 1988, he served as Chairman of a group installed by the Permanent Council of the European Union that successfully negotiated a Convention on Jurisdiction and Enforcement of Civil and Commercial Judgments. In 1988, he takes part in the Diplomatic Conference of Lugano that adopts the Convention.
Court of Justice of the European Court of Justice.
From 1979 to 1984, he was at the Court of Justice of the European Union as rapporteur of the Advocate General. From 1989 to 1995, he was Judge at the Court of First Instance (now the General Court of the European Union), serving as its Presiding Justice from 1995 to 1998. In March 1998, he was designated Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union, an office he holds until 2000.
Scholarship and Academics.
He held positions as Full and Visiting Professor at a number of universities in Italy and abroad: the University of Macerata Department of Commercial Law, the University of Naples Department of International Organizations Law, the National University of Somalia, the University of Naples School of European and International Law, and the National University of Public Administration in Rome. Through his experience and scholarship on the bench and in academia, he developed and pursued a keen interest on undercurrents and dynamic forces at work in the field of law, particularly European law, which is revealed in numerous essays and publications over the course of his career.
Legacy.
To honor his memory and contributions to legal scholarship, the Antonio Saggio Prize was established in 2015 with support from the Spinelli Institute and the Municipality of Ventotene. The presentation ceremony of the annual award takes place in Ventotene, the island where Antonio Saggio and his family spent their summers.