The activity is carried out with funding by the European Union via the Structural Reform Support Programme and in cooperation with the European Commission's DG Structural Reform Support.

SRSS/S2019/033 - "Support to Member States in the implementation of structural reforms"

The project “Establishing a Digital Strategy in the Maltese Justice Sector”, funded by the Directorate General for Structural Reform Support of the European Commission was officially launched on 5 May 2020. A first Steering Committee videoconference was organised on 11 May 2020, in presence of representatives of the Ministry for Justice, Equality and Governance, and specifically IT department, but also CEPEJ experts and Secretariat and the European Union. 

Context of the Project

The digitalisation of justice is widely seen as a means of improving the efficiency of justice and facilitating access to justice for court users. In Malta, the transition from a paper-based system to an electronic system started in 2000 with the introduction of the first electronic systems which helped courts to compile and retrieve data relating to court processes. More recently, the court administration has been working to introduce new information technology (IT) initiatives to modernise its services and improve efficiency; however, these initiatives have been recognised by the Maltese authorities as being isolated in their implementation, without following a unified and pre-established strategy. Furthermore, while this trend towards increased use of technology seems to have motivated users to make greater use of IT tools, change management has not been adequately addressed through training initiatives or targeted information campaigns.

The Ministry for Justice, Equality and Governance of Malta has therefore expressed its willingness to develop a comprehensive digital strategy for the judicial field, with the support of the CEPEJ.

The CEPEJ has a long-standing experience of working with Malta. The CEPEJ has also been developing tools on the specific integration of IT in judicial systems. First and foremost, the “Guidelines on how to drive change towards cyberjustice” and the "Toolkit for its implementation which set out good practices from European Member States" that will be of significant help to build up a Maltese Digital Justice Strategy (DJS). A  report entitled “The use of information technology in European Courts” that contains baseline data and the “European Ethical Charter on the use of AI in judicial systems and their environment” will be a basis for awareness-raising workshops in Malta.

Project's objective

The objective of the project shall be the adoption of a Digital Justice Strategy and the corresponding Action Plan by the Ministry for of Justice, Culture and Local Government. A particular focus will be placed on:

  • the co-ordination of past and future IT initiatives while preparing for a strategy in line with European best practices;
  • a supporting the Maltese authorities in developing the DJS and its Action Plan with a comprehensive consultation process of all stakeholders.

Project beneficiaries and stakeholders

The final beneficiary of the Action is the Ministry for Justice, Equality and governance of Malta. The target groups include civil servants in MJCL, and judges, court managers, judicial trainers, and court staff. The action shall finally benefit to court users and ultimately the entire population of Malta, which will benefit directly and indirectly from the modernisation and improved efficiency and quality of the Maltese judicial system.

 

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Contact

Moritz Taylor

Project coordinator 
+33 (0)3 88 90 21 44 90

Videos

 

Project news

Back Steering Committee meetings via videoconference for two CEPEJ Projects with Malta

Steering Committee meetings via videoconference for two CEPEJ Projects with Malta

On 2nd October 2020 took place a joint steering Committee videoconference of the Projects “Supporting the efficiency of Justice in Malta” which will last until December 2020 and “Establishing a Digital Strategy for the Maltese Justice Sector” which started in May 2020 and will end in May 2021. The meeting, with the participation of the representatives of the Maltese Ministry of Justice, of the European Union and of the CEPEJ, started with an exchange on the current state of progress of the first project, focusing on the functioning of the Court of Appeal Superior Jurisdiction, the development of a Human Resource strategy for Maltese courts, and support to the development of new Court Administration Agency. The second part of the meeting was dedicated to the Project “Establishing a Digital Strategy for the Maltese Justice Sector”, where the participants exchanged views and planned the future activities to be organised, namely a new series of fact-finding videoconference to prepare for the drafting of an Assessment Report on the use of IT in the justice sector.

This activity was carried out with funding by the European Union via the Structural Reform Support Programme and in cooperation with the European Commission's DG Structural Reform Support.

Malta 02 October 2020
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