The Weekend Read: Why Europe's Justice Systems Still Struggle According to the 2025 EU Scoreboard
Description
Welcome to the Weekend Read. Today we discuss the complexities and unvarnished truths revealed in the 2025 EU Justice Scoreboard.
While presented as the European Commission's annual comparative tool to assist Member States in enhancing their national justice systems, this 13th edition, a 70-page deep dive into efficiency, quality, and independence, also lays bare persistent challenges and uncomfortable realities across the Union.
We'll dissect the findings that reveal where progress is slow, stagnant, or even worsening, particularly concerning threats to judicial independence where interference from government, politicians, or economic interests still casts a long shadow, as perceived by both the public and companies. We'll explore the significant disparities that remain between Member States in managing caseloads and reducing pending cases, the difficulties faced by those in poverty accessing justice due to high costs, and the uneven adoption of digitalization across national systems, often not fully utilizing their potential.
Beyond the positive narratives, this episode will read between the lines of the Scoreboard's detailed charts on estimated length of proceedings, clearance rates, and human resources, highlighting that for many, justice is still delayed or difficult to access. We'll also scrutinize new indicators concerning public procurement review bodies, supreme audit institutions, and national competition authorities, exposing where independence remains a significant concern for businesses and citizens alike.
Join us as we navigate the complex landscape of EU justice, examining not just the achievements, but crucially, the critical shortcomings and areas demanding urgent attention to truly uphold democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights across the Union.
Source: European Commission: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, The 2025 EU justice scoreboard – Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Central Bank, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2838/9524751
United States
