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OPINION (2025/2148(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial 2024 – Court of Justice of the European Union

JURI-AD-781390

Committee on Legal Affairs · Rapporteur: Ilhan Kyuchyuk

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The Committee on Legal Affairs opinion on the 2024 discharge for the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) notes its high budget implementation rate and judicial activity, and makes suggestions on staff, digitalisation, and cooperation. It calls for optimising expenditure, supporting national courts on preliminary rulings, and notes case numbers and proceedings lengths. It welcomes reforms, transparency measures, and cybersecurity improvements, and urges mandatory training on preventing violence against women.

Committee position. The Committee on Legal Affairs suggests that the Committee on Budgetary Control incorporate its suggestions into the motion for a resolution, generally approving the CJEU's discharge but with calls for improvements.

Key points

  1. Appreciates the CJEU's 98% budget implementation rate for 2024, similar to previous years.
  2. Calls on the CJEU to optimise staff and infrastructure expenditure, including through digitalisation, avoiding parallel structures.
  3. Notes high post occupation rate (around 97%) and that 85% of posts are for judicial and linguistic activities.
  4. Notes a decrease in energy-related expenditure pressure and welcomes effective management.
  5. Notes increases in cases before the Court of Justice (920 in 2024 vs 821 in 2023) and decreases before the General Court (786 vs 1,271).
  6. Calls on the CJEU to explore practical guidance tools with national courts to support clear preliminary ruling questions.
  7. Notes increases in average proceedings lengths: 17.7 months for the Court of Justice and 18.5 for the General Court.
  8. Welcomes reduction in urgent procedure time (from 4.3 to 3.3 months) and notes 1,706 cases brought in 2024.
  9. Welcomes completion of 1,785 cases and decrease in pending cases to 2,508 at end of 2024.
  10. Welcomes entry into force of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2019 transferring part of preliminary ruling jurisdiction to the General Court.
  11. Welcomes transparency measures: publication of written observations and one-month streaming of hearings.
  12. Urges mandatory training for all staff and Members on preventing violence against women.

Who is affected

  • The Court of Justice of the European Union and its staff, who are asked to optimise expenditure and adopt training.
  • National courts, which may benefit from guidance tools for preliminary rulings.
  • Staff and Members of the CJEU, who would be subject to mandatory training on violence against women.

Figures and deadlines

  • 98% budget implementation rate for 2024.
  • Around 76% of appropriations for staff expenditure.
  • 920 new cases before the Court of Justice in 2024.
  • 786 new cases before the General Court in 2024.
  • 17.7 months average length of proceedings before the Court of Justice.
  • 3.3 months average time for urgent procedure in 2024.
  • 2,508 cases pending at end of 2024.
  • 61% of 2,267 officials are women.