Justice scoreboard 2022: curious to know how good, efficient and independent is justice in your country?
date: 08/07/2022
The report consists of findings, subdivided into three blocks, that together make any justice system effective and fair: efficiency, quality and independence.
The 'efficiency' chapter takes into consideration indicators on the length of proceedings, the clearance rate and the number of pending cases. 'Quality' assesses accessibility such as legal aid and court fees, training, budget, human resources and digitalisation, whilst 'independence of the judicial system' focuses on the perception of independence among the general public and companies.
The key findings
Room for improvement in the digitalisation of justice systems is one topic the scoreboard highlights. The 2021 edition already took stock of how advanced judicial authorities are in the digital transformation. This year the report includes, for the first time, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several Member States adopted new measures to ensure the regular functioning of courts, while also guaranteeing continued and easy access to justice for all. Yet the findings show a need for Member States to accelerate modernisation in this area.
Accessibility to justice for people with disabilities is a first too, as the report includes data on the arrangements in place to support such people in accessing justice on an equal basis. Here, it notes that although all Member States have at least some arrangements in place - such as procedural accommodations - only half of them also offer specific formats, such as Braille or sign language, on request.
Finally, the part on judicial independence. Here, the challenge is clear: since 2016, the perception of the public had improved in 17 Member States. However, since last year, the public perception of judicial independence has decreased in no less than 14 Member States. In a number of Member States, the level of perceived independence remains particularly low.
One novelty in this year's scoreboard is the inclusion of a 'business' dimension. Regarding access to justice and its impact on investor confidence, the business environment and the functioning of the single market, the 2022 Scoreboard includes data on administrative efficiency, legal safeguards in relation to administrative decisions and confidence in investment protection.
Findings show that almost all Member States have measures in place for companies to receive financial compensation for losses caused by administrative decisions or inaction and courts may suspend the enforcement of administrative decisions upon request.
Why the EU Justice Scoreboard is so important?
The information contained in the EU Justice Scoreboard contributes to the monitoring carried out within the framework of the European Rule of Law Mechanism. Its findings are part of the Commission's 2022 Rule of Law Report.
The Scoreboard's data is also used for the monitoring of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans. Furthermore, the findings of the 2022 edition have been taken into account in the country-specific assessments carried out for the 2022 European Semester.
For more detailed information, you can consult the following links: