1. The Commission e-Justice strategy 1st International Conference on ICT Solutions for Justice Thessaloniki, October 24, 2008 European Commission Directorate-General Justice and Home affairs – Unit E1 e-Justice Mauro MIRANDA

2. What is e-Justice? The use of ICT in the administration of justice Objectives: 1.To improve access to justice 2.To foster co-operation between judicial and prosecutorial authorities 3.To increase the effectiveness of justice (time & cost) European Commission e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice Directorate-General Justice and Home affairs

3. Where do we stand? Several initiatives at national level and bilateral or multilateral level but – a dearth of EU action… Commission Communication of 30 May 2008 – an inventory of the status quo and a roadmap for the future e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

4. Existing initiatives (examples) e-Law (eg. Eurlex, N-lex, www.network- presidents.eu, www.juradmin.eu...)www.network- presidents.euwww.juradmin.eu Pilot project on interconnection of criminal records (ECRIS) Prototype of e-Justice portal = interconnection of insolvency registers National tools for communication practitioners- courts (eg. on-line payment order in Italy) e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

5. The Commission’s role 1.Support existing initiatives (financially and otherwise), public and private 2.Coordinate and promote exchange of best practices 3.Develop new tools at EU level (e-Justice portal) e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

6. The e-Justice portal A portal designed for the general public, citizens and businesses, as well as legal professionals… Functions: 1.Information about - rights of victims in criminal trials - rights of defendants in criminal proceedings - general principles of remedies available in civil courts e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

7. The e-Justice portal (continued) 2.Orientation: links to existing information tools (legal databases), European judicial authorities, on-line registers (eg. European Business Register), Atlas (how to find the competent judicial authority) 3.Direct access to European procedures (eg. small claims procedure) or access to documents (eg. criminal record) e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

8. e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

9. e-Justice and judicial co- operation 1.Full interconnection of criminal record registers - ECRIS - on the basis of pilot project 2.Creation of a secured network between judicial authorities Issues: e-signature, e-identity… e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

10. e-Justice and judicial co- operation (continued) 3.Increased recourse to videoconference 4.Translation tools: Automatic translation Legal interpreters database Dynamic on-line forms (eg. for EAW) e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

11. Next steps Launch of the portal (2009) Feasibility studies & pilot projects (e-signature, dynamic forms, interpreters database) User’s manual for videoconference Training for professionals In principle, no new legislation! e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

12. Conclusions e-Justice : opportunities and challenges A tool for more efficient, more accessible justice for citizens, and for easier cooperation between judicial authorities Challenges: interoperability, semantics, language, cultural barriers… e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs

13. Thank you for the attention! Questions? mauro.miranda@ec.europa.eu e-Justice Living in an area of freedom, security and justice European CommissionDirectorate-General Justice and Home affairs