EU Justice Scoreboard in the European Union
The European Commission Broadens the Scope of its Analysis of the European Union Member States’ Justice Systems
In a press release, the European Commission unveiled on 27 March 2013 a new comparative tool to promote effective justice systems in the European Union and thereby reinforce economic growth. The ‘European Justice Scoreboard' will provide objective, reliable and comparable data on the functioning of the justice systems in the EU's 27 Member States. Improving the quality, independence and efficiency of judicial systems already forms part of the EU's economic policy coordination process under the European Semester, which is aimed at laying the foundations for a return to growth and job creation.
“The attractiveness of a country as a place to invest and do business is undoubtedly boosted by having an independent and efficient judicial system,” said Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU's Justice Commissioner. “That is why predictable, timely and enforceable legal decisions are important and why national judicial reforms became an important structural component of the EU's economic strategy. The new European Justice Scoreboard will act as an early warning system and will help the EU and the Member States in our efforts to achieve more effective justice at the service of our citizens and businesses.”
Olli Rehn, Vice-President for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro, said: "High quality, independent and efficient justice is essential to a growth-friendly business environment. This new Scoreboard will help EU Member States to strengthen their legal systems, boosting their efforts to stimulate investment and job creation."
The UIHJ can only welcome this new instrument which joins the work of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) which publishes every two years a report on European judicial systems in the 47 Member States of the Council Europe.
The UIHJ also appears to be perfectly in line with the policy guidelines adopted in Brussels. On the occasion of the 21st International Congress of judicial officers held in Cape Town (South Africa) in May 2012, the UIHJ presented its Grand questionnaire answered by more than 50 countries including 350 questions relating to the profession of enforcement agent and civil enforcement procedures.
Through its Stobra projects and with the help of all its member countries, the UIHJ aims to actively work to harmonize the profession of judicial officer and civil enforcement proceedings.
Based on its Grand questionnaire and the work of Stobra, the UIHJ has established in Cyprus in September 2012 on the occasion of a conference that it organized a working group to prepare a report on the efficiency of civil enforcement procedures and the profession of judicial officer in Europe.
The convergence of these projects should encourage various organizations and institutions to come together to greater efficiency. The UIHJ will affirm its presence and bring its experience and the strength of its 73 member countries to contribute to an increasingly effective justice.
