The European Court of Justice (ECJ) (officially the Court of Justice of the European Communities (CJEU)), is the highest court in the European Union in matters of European Union law. It is tasked with interpreting EU law and ensuring its equal application across all EU member states. The Court was established in 1952 and is based in Luxembourg. It is composed of one judge per member state — currently 27 — although it normally hears cases in panels of three, five or thirteen judges.