Greece has one of the European Union's worst-performing judicial systems, with civil cases taking more than two years to resolve on average, according to a new study highlighting how persistent court delays undermine legal certainty for businesses and citizens.
The country ranked 26th among the EU's 27 member states in the Judicial Systems Performance Index, or JUSPER, compiled by Greek research institute KEFiM.
Greece scored 34.8 out of 100, substantially below the EU average of 52.5, outperforming only Cyprus, which scored 24.2. Latvia led the rankings with 74 points, followed by Bulgaria at 68.3 and Estonia at 66.3.
The study, based on 2024 data, assessed 31 indicators covering judicial efficiency, funding and access to justice. Court delays emerged as Greece's most significant weakness. The country scored just 26.1 points for efficiency, compared with the EU average of 56.4. First-instance civil cases required an estimated 737 days to process, nearly three times the European median. Courts resolved approximately 81 cases for every 100 new filings, contributing to a growing backlog.
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The findings also reveal a staffing imbalance. Greece has 37.3 judges per 100,000 residents, roughly twice the European median, but only one support employee per judge, compared with approximately three across Europe. Digitalization and access to justice remain additional challenges, with Greece scoring 39 points against the EU average of 50. However, recent government figures suggest that judicial reforms may be beginning to deliver results.
According to Greece's Justice Ministry, a restructuring of the country's court system introduced in September 2024 helped reduce the estimated time required for first-instance court decisions from 774 days to 357 days by March 2026. Over the same period, the case-clearance rate improved from 86.2% to 105.1%, indicating that courts were resolving more cases than they received. The figures cover different periods and measures, making direct comparisons with the study's 2024 findings difficult.
KEFiM President Nikos Rompapas said Greece's judicial weaknesses reflect longstanding structural problems requiring better court management, additional administrative staff and greater use of technology.
