A bill passed in the federal parliament on Thursday night has modernised Belgium's justice system and allowed judgements to be published online.
While many other countries have been making court decisions public online for some time, the system that Belgium has been using until now has changed little since the 19th century. But this new bill now provides the legal framework for an online database to be created, which will enter into force in September 2023.
"This is a crucial step in the digitisation of justice. An efficient justice system must make its rulings transparent and easily available to the public," Vincent Van Quickenborne, Minister of Justice, said.
Increasing transparency
Public access to judgments and court decisions is enshrined in the Belgian constitution. However, the way this has been realised has been chaotic, with only printed verdicts scattered across the country's courts. The archaic system will now be overhauled, with judges uploading their decisions to a central database that will be accessible to all.
Aside from improving efficiency for courts, prosecutors, lawyers, defendants and civil parties, the database will have a considerable paper saving and promote transparency.
The transition will be carried out in phases. Firstly, magistrates will be able to consult all judgments and decisions, while lawyers, defendants, civil parties and experts will have access to judgments in specific online files.
Related News
- Belgium not investing enough in justice system, says Council of Europe
- EU to improve digital information exchange in fight against terrorism
From 31 December 2023, all judgments and rulings will become accessible to everyone online, albeit with names redacted to protect the personal data of private individuals.
The three-month period between the entry into force of the first and second phases serves to ensure that sensitive identities are hidden and any potential loopholes are eliminated.
