Greece Faces Lengthy Court Delays in EU Judicial Performance Study

(MENAFN) Greece placed near the bottom of the European Union’s judicial performance rankings, with civil cases at the first-instance level taking an estimated 737 days to conclude, according to a recent study.

The Judicial Systems Performance Index (JUSPER), compiled by Greek research institute KEFiM based on 2024 figures, gave Greece a score of 34.8 out of 100, placing it 26th among the bloc’s 27 member states. Its result was considerably below the EU average of 52.5, while Cyprus recorded a lower score of 24.2.

The study assessed judicial systems through 31 indicators covering areas such as court efficiency, funding and access to justice.

Greece scored 26.1 in the efficiency category, compared with the EU average of 56.4. Its courts resolved approximately 81 cases for every 100 new cases submitted.

Although Greece has 37.3 judges per 100,000 residents, almost twice the European median, the study highlighted a shortage of administrative support employees relative to the number of judges.

However, data from the Justice Ministry showed that changes introduced in September 2024 had helped reduce the estimated time required for first-instance rulings from 774 days to 357 days by March 2026.

The rate at which courts completed cases also improved, rising from 86.2% to 105.1%, indicating that the judicial system had begun resolving cases at a faster pace than new ones were being filed.

KEFiM President Nikos Rompapas emphasized the need to improve court management, recruit more administrative support staff and expand the use of technology across the judicial system.

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