The key facts

  • Greece ranks 26th out of 27 EU countries in the JUSPER index (34.8 points); only Cyprus scored worse (24.2)
  • The average duration of first-instance civil cases is 737 days, against an EU average of 52.5 points on the index
  • Greece's Ministry of Justice reports a reduction from 774 to 357 days by March 2026 following the 2024 reforms

Greece is second from last in the EU in court performance

Greece ranked 26th among the 27 European Union countries in judicial system efficiency, according to the Judicial Systems Performance Index (JUSPER), prepared by the Greek research institute KEFiM based on 2024 data. The country scored 34.8 points out of 100, with an EU average of 52.5; only Cyprus had a worse result, with 24.2 points. The assessment covered 31 indicators, including court efficiency, funding, and access to justice.

Long delays and a shortage of support staff

According to the study, first-instance civil cases in Greece take an average of 737 days. Courts received only 26.1 points for efficiency, against an EU average of 56.4; for every 100 new cases, about 81 are closed. At the same time, Greece has 37.3 judges per 100,000 inhabitants — almost twice the European median — but noticeably less administrative staff per judge than in other countries. KEFiM President Nikos Rompas called for strengthening court management, increasing the number of support staff, and making wider use of technology.

The Ministry of Justice points to improvements

Greece's Ministry of Justice cites different figures on case durations: according to its information, the reforms introduced in September 2024 reduced the estimated time for issuing first-instance rulings from 774 days to 357 days by March 2026. The case clearance rate rose from 86.2% to 105.1%, indicating improved processing of incoming cases. Thus, the JUSPER assessment is based on 2024 data, whereas the ministry describes a later dynamic following the reforms; the sources do not allow these figures to be compared directly.