Study finds Greece's justice system among slowest in the EU
A new policy study by the Centre for Liberal Studies (KEFiM) has found that Greece continues to rank among the European Union's slowest judicial systems, with first-instance civil, commercial and administrative cases taking an average of 638 days to conclude in 2024, compared with the EU median of just 100 days.
The study, titled *The Anatomy of the Greek Justice System According to EU Data*, is based on the European Commission's 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard and analyzes the performance of Greece's judicial system using data from 2024.
According to the report, the longest delays are recorded in civil and commercial litigation, where cases require an average of 737 days to reach a first-instance decision. Consumer protection cases take even longer, averaging 1,643 days—approximately 4.5 years—to conclude.
The report argues that prolonged judicial delays increase legal uncertainty, raise costs for citizens and businesses, weaken investor confidence and reduce the practical value of legal protection.
Despite these challenges, the study notes improvements in administrative justice, where courts continue to resolve more cases than they receive, gradually reducing the backlog of pending cases.
The report also highlights mixed developments in specialized proceedings. The average duration of money laundering cases fell by 89% in 2024, while bribery cases took 62% longer to resolve than the previous year. Proceedings before national competition authorities also became significantly slower, with average durations increasing by 53%.
KEFiM said recent judicial reforms are beginning to produce positive results. Nine months after the implementation of Greece's new judicial map, the estimated time needed for decisions in Courts of First Instance declined by 48%, although the organization cautioned that these figures are based on a different methodology and are not directly comparable with the EU Justice Scoreboard.
The study also points to ongoing digital transformation projects, including the expansion of electronic case management systems and digital case files, emphasizing that their long-term success will depend on effective implementation across the country's courts.
