Roadmap aims to modernise EU justice systems
The European Commission has put forward a strategy that it says is aimed at modernising justice systems across the EU and ensuring that justice professionals are equipped with tools fit for the digital age.
The ‘Digital Justice’ package, running to 2030, aims to accelerate the digitisation of justice systems across the EU.
It includes the DigitalJustice@2030 Strategy and the European Judicial Training Strategy 2025–2030.
The commission says that the two strategies will use cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve access to justice for all.
Competitiveness
Justice commissioner Michael McGrath said that the package would help member states to “take a confident step into the digital era – ensuring that our justice systems become faster, more accessible, and more efficient”.
He added that the initiatives were not only an investment in justice, but also in Europe’s competitiveness.
The Digital Justice @2030 Strategy outlines 14 steps to help member states unlock the potential of AI and digital tools in justice systems. These include:
- Promoting the exchange of best practices among member states of digital tools used by legal practitioners across the EU, hosted on the European e-Justice portal,
- Developing a toolbox to allow member states to share IT and AI tools used in justice to accelerate digitalisation and help generate savings,
- Boosting the European Legal Data Space to further facilitate online access to legislation and case law, using the access to more judicial data to develop AI tools adapted to the needs of justice systems, and
- A commission study to find a European solution to technical issues arising from judicial systems co-operating with each other, namely, to help overcome interoperability challenges in cross-border video-conferencing.
Practical training
The EU body says that the judicial-training strategy will help ensure that all justice professionals are properly equipped to put digital justice into practice.
It includes practical training on digital case-management systems, digital cross-border co-operation tools and secure communication technologies, and activities designed to raise awareness about the impact of digital and AI tools in justice.
Judges and other justice professionals also need to have appropriate training to apply EU digital law, such as the Digital Services Act.
The commission argues that digitised justice systems are essential for an attractive business and investment environment, as they improve transparency, reduce delays, and make procedures more efficient and accessible.