On Tuesday 3 June, the European Commission published an evaluation of the European Union’s Justice programmes, ex post for the period 2014-2020 and mid-term for the period 2021-2027, which provide funding to support judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters.
The aim is to look back at the contributions made to a European area of justice based on the rule of law, which, according to the report, is being implemented effectively and has a high European “added value”, despite some areas for improvement.
The report stresses that continuity between the two periods has enabled cooperation to be built up in a range of areas, such as mutual recognition of judicial decisions, cross-border cooperation and judicial training.
Over 800,000 legal practitioners have been trained in EU law, contributing to the emergence of a common legal culture and strengthening trust between Member States.
In addition, access to justice, particularly for vulnerable groups, has emerged as a cross-sectoral objective.
The 2014-2020 programme has made it possible to improve legal protection frameworks, in particular through the development of the ‘e-justice’ online portal developed by the Commission.
This impetus has continued in the current programme (2021-2017), which has been enriched by taking greater account of non-discrimination, gender equality and digitalisation.
In terms of effectiveness, the evaluation highlights that the projects funded have produced lasting benefits that often continue beyond their implementation period.
Simplification measures introduced in the 2021-2027 programme, such as greater use of digital technologies and the EU Funding & Tenders portal, have improved the accessibility and efficiency of the application process, although some beneficiaries are still calling for procedures to be streamlined.
The Commission also refers to the work of European networks, such as the European Judicial Training Network, in disseminating best practice and pooling resources.
However, there are still gaps in awareness between Member States, particularly where civil society organisations are concerned.
The evaluation therefore recommends consolidating efforts to digitise the justice system, making it a fully-fledged objective of the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework.
The report: https://aeur.eu/f/h5o (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)