Indicator 16.40 Perceived independence of the justice system: very or fairly good

The indicator is designed to explore respondents’ perceptions about the independence of the judiciary across EU Member States, looking specifically at the perceived independence of the courts and judges in a country. Data on the perceived independence of the justice system stem from annual Flash Eurobarometer surveys starting in 2016 on behalf of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers. In this survey, respondents are asked to answer the following question: “From what you know, how would you rate the justice system in (THIS COUNTRY) in terms of the independence of courts and judges? Would you say it is very good, fairly good, fairly bad or very bad?”

Indicator is used to monitor progress towards SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under ‘A new era for European Defence and Security’ and ‘Protecting our democracy, upholding our values’.

In addition to sufficient financial resources, judges in law courts need to be able to make decisions without interference or pressure from policy or other economic actors, to ensure that individuals and businesses can fully enjoy their rights. Respect for the rule of law is a prerequisite for the protection of all fundamental values listed in the EU Treaties, including democracy and fundamental rights. Improving the effectiveness of justice systems in Member States has been identified as a key component for structural reforms in the European Semester. The Rule of Law Report assesses the situation of Member States’ justice systems and the EU Justice Scoreboard complements it by monitoring the efficiency, quality and independence of Member States’ justice systems.