The EU Justice Scoreboard, however, reveals significant disparities and weaknesses, including perceived judicial independence issues, governmental interference and pressure from economic interests. Inefficiencies in case resolution are exacerbated by inadequate digital infrastructure and frequent legal framework changes, which hinder access to justice.
The European Union’s commitment to the rule of law and its foundational values is a cornerstone of its identity and essential for the effective implementation of EU law. Effective justice systems are vital in this regard, as they ensure that individuals and businesses can fully exercise their rights, strengthen mutual trust, and contribute to a citizen, business, and investment-friendly environment.1 When policymakers discuss the importance of the rule of law and effective judicial systems specifically, they often emphasise how these elements safeguard and promote economic freedom, growth, and prosperity—a relationship well supported by empirical evidence.
The EU Justice Scoreboard, however, reveals significant disparities and weaknesses, including perceived judicial independence issues, governmental interference and pressure from economic interests. Inefficiencies in case resolution are exacerbated by inadequate digital infrastructure and frequent legal framework changes, which hinder access to justice. Additionally, the uneven distribution of judges and lawyers contributes to processing bottlenecks. Public and business perceptions reflect growing concerns regarding judicial effectiveness, further eroding confidence in the legal system. Legislative quality issues, marked by frequent amendments, diminish stability and investor confidence. To address these challenges, targeted reforms are essential to strengthen the justice systems, enhance efficiency, and ensure a reliable legal environment that can attract investment and promote social trust in the judiciary.
Georgios Archontas is an Adjunct Professor in M.A. Postgraduate Program Institutions, Communication and European Integration at the European Communication Institute (ECI). He holds a PhD in political philosophy and economic theory
from Panteion University, Athens. He has taught Institutional Theory, Media Theory, and Issues and Challenges of the Current Global Economy at the University of Peloponnese and the University of Athens. He is member of the Scientific Council of the Center for Liberal Studies – Markos Dragoumis (KEFiM).
Constantinos Saravakos is Head of Research at the Center for Liberal Studies (KEFIM) and a PhD candidate of international and European Studies at the University of Macedonia. His main research interests include regulation, political economy (poverty, inequality and prosperity) and political parties (democracy, populism and political behaviour). He holds a M.A. in Political Science and Sociology (Hons) and a B.Sc. in Philosophy and History of Science from University of Athens. He has also received a M.Sc. in Applied Economics and Administration from Panteion University. He is a member of the Greek Political Science Association and a member of the Economic Chamber of Greece. Also, he is an expert for the research projects Varieties of Democracy (University of Gothenburg) and Rule of Law Index (World Justice Project) and Fellow in the European Policy Information Center (EPICENTER).
The Center for Liberal Studies – Markos Dragoumis (KEFIM) is Greece’s foremost liberal, non-partisan, and independent think tank. It envisions Greece as a role model of economic and civil liberty that enables its citizens to pursue their dreams and aspirations. KEFIM’s mission is to increase individual and economic freedoms of Greeks through the promotion of liberal ideas and policy proposals. To that end, KEFIM generates research, media content, organizes events, that aim to influence the climate of ideas in Greece. Finally, KEFIM partakes in the international policy and ideological dialogue through its participation into the Atlas Network (USA), the EPICENTER Network (Belgium) and the European Liberal Forum (Belgium). It also partners on various projects with mission-aligned organizations such as the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (Germany), Timbro (Sweden), the Cato Institute (USA), the Foundation for Economic Education (USA), and the Institute of Economic Affairs (UK).