The work examined by the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) at its 40th plenary meeting (15-16 June 2023): 2022 activity report, reducing the backlog of court cases and e-auctions

At its 40th plenary meeting to be held in Strasbourg on 15 and 16 June, the CEPEJ intends to adopt a new tool designed to help countries reduce the backlog of court cases, a frequent problem encountered by many States and highly prejudicial to the right to a fair trial within a reasonable time enshrined in Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This tool responds to requests from many States. It should offer a detailed methodology that can be adapted to the judicial system concerned. It was initiated by the Working Group on judicial time management (CEPEJ-SATURN) and has been developed by an ad hoc Working Group which will present its draft to all CEPEJ members and observers on Thursday morning 15 June. 

The Resource Center on Artificial Intelligence and Cyberjustice, recently set up by the CEPEJ and compiling tools concretely implemented in judicial systems and using artificial intelligence, will be presented.

The CEPEJ will also examine, with a view to their adoption, guidelines on electronic judicial auctions prepared by the CEPEJ-GT-CYBERJUST Working Group.

The CEPEJ Activity Report for 2022 will also be adopted by the CEPEJ, in accordance with its rules of procedure. It recalls the important works adopted last year, in particular: the Evaluation report of European judicial systems, 2022 edition (2020 data), Guidelines on gender equality in the recruitment and promotion of judges, a Guide to promote mediation to settle administrative disputes in Council of Europe member states. He will also mention the missions of the Networks and in particular the recent European cyberjustice Network, as well as the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board (AIAB).

The CEPEJ-SATURN Working Group will present a revision of the checklist for the management of judicial time as well as a draft opinion of the CEPEJ aiming at proposing to the CDCJ the update of Recommendation (86)12 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on measures to prevent or reduce excessive workload in courts.

The CEPEJ-GT-QUAL Working Group will inform on the ongoing work on the evaluation of judges' performance through qualitative indicators, on the access to justice of vulnerable persons as well as on the implementation of the five principles of the European Ethical Charter on the use of artificial intelligence.

The Working Group on the Evaluation of Judicial Systems (CEPEJ-GT-EVAL) will also present to the CEPEJ members its work in progress: the launch of the 2024 evaluation cycle (2022 data) as well as the preparation of the next CEPEJ Evaluation Report on European Judicial Systems and in particular its evaluation grid, revised following the previous cycle.