Cyprus continues to rank among the countries with the longest delays in court proceedings, particularly in administrative and civil cases.
A few days ago, the European Union published its 14th Justice Scoreboard, an annual report comparing the efficiency, quality and independence of justice systems across member states.
The 2026 edition shows improved public perception of the independence and effectiveness of justice systems overall. It also highlights the key role these systems play in ensuring a fair and competitive environment, providing data on factors shaping the single market. For the first time, the report includes an overview of the jurisdiction of supreme administrative and ordinary courts in cases involving businesses.
In Cyprus, progress is recorded in digitalisation and institutional reforms. However, one of the most concerning findings relates to the time required to complete judicial proceedings.
In civil and commercial cases at first instance, Cyprus ranks among the lowest in the EU in terms of speed, with estimated durations well above the European average.
The situation is even more problematic in administrative cases, where Cyprus is listed among the countries with the longest delays, with disputes taking years to resolve.
The backlog of cases is reflected in the high number of unresolved cases. Cyprus continues to rank among states with a high number of pending civil and commercial cases per capita, placing a significant burden on the courts.
Despite this, the report also highlights encouraging developments. Cyprus shows one of the highest clearance rates in the EU, meaning courts resolve more cases than are filed, contributing gradually to reducing accumulated delays.
Particular reference is made to administrative cases, where the European Commission notes a significant increase in the number of completed cases, partly due to the joint hearing of related cases and the continued effectiveness of the Administrative Court established in 2015.
Reform and digitalisation
The report also includes significant references to the reform of the Cypriot judicial system, implemented in July 2023. The European Commission notes that Cyprus carried out a major restructuring, creating a Court of Appeal and establishing a fully three-tier system of jurisdiction.
This reform is considered one of the most significant in recent decades and is expected to positively affect court processing times in the coming years, although its impact is not yet fully reflected in the data.
In terms of digitalisation, Cyprus shows improvement compared to previous years, but does not rank among the EU leaders.
The report evaluates the ability to file cases online, track proceedings, pay court fees electronically and access case files. Cyprus is placed around the middle of the EU ranking, showing progress but also room for improvement.
A similar picture emerges regarding the use of digital tools by courts and prosecution authorities. Cyprus has adopted electronic case management systems and teleconferencing, but lags behind more advanced member states such as Estonia, Spain and the Nordic countries.
Secure electronic communication between courts, lawyers, correctional institutions and other stakeholders also remains limited compared to European best practices.
Access to justice
The report also highlights weaknesses in citizens’ access to justice. A key example is the legal aid system, as legal aid is not provided in civil and commercial disputes between consumers and businesses.
As a result, certain scenarios assessed in the Scoreboard do not apply in Cyprus at all. This finding particularly affects lower-income groups, as the cost of access to justice can act as a barrier to defending their rights.
At the same time, Cyprus shows relatively good performance in digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, although it is not among the top-performing countries.
Female representation
According to the report, the number of judges per 100,000 inhabitants in Cyprus is close to the EU average.
Particular interest is noted in the presence of women at the Supreme Court level, where Cyprus records a high rate of female representation, reflecting gradual progress in gender equality within the judiciary.
The country also performs well in terms of the independence of bar associations and the protection of legal professional privilege, ranking among the higher positions in the EU assessment, which is considered important for safeguarding the rule of law.
