Access to Justice in European Law: Moving from “Access to Courts” Towards a Substantive, Horizontal and Comprehensive Approach

The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in December 2009 was supposed to have far-reaching implications for the development of a European policy on justice and access to justice as it “constitutionalized” for the first time this important topic. However, at the time of writing, European Union (EU)...

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Main Author: M. Elvira Mendez-Pinedo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: ADJURIS – International Academic Publisher 2023-12-01
Series:Perspectives of Law and Public Administration
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.adjuris.ro/revista/articole/An12nr4/5.%20Elvira%20Mendez%20Pinedo%20Art.%202.pdf
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author M. Elvira Mendez-Pinedo
author_facet M. Elvira Mendez-Pinedo
author_sort M. Elvira Mendez-Pinedo
collection DOAJ
description The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in December 2009 was supposed to have far-reaching implications for the development of a European policy on justice and access to justice as it “constitutionalized” for the first time this important topic. However, at the time of writing, European Union (EU) law has been unable to construct and provide a proper system of access to justice for European citizens across all European Member States. In particular, the study of the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg shows that the European model of access to justice based on litigation, access to courts and on the defense of individual rights is inherently limited. The author advocates a change of approach, aiming for a better definition of a substantive notion of access to justice in the light of a broad system of European social justice and equality. This new approach could be based on the classic theory and methodology of “access-to-justice” developed in the early 80s by Professor Mauro Cappelletti. His encyclopaedia on the topic offered a horizontal comprehensive strategy to construct a justice system and procedural laws based on the needs of the ordinary citizens.
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spelling doaj.art-03e5537f344d4988ab8604a621cdd9772024-02-17T17:26:53ZengADJURIS – International Academic PublisherPerspectives of Law and Public Administration2601-78302023-12-01124535549Access to Justice in European Law: Moving from “Access to Courts” Towards a Substantive, Horizontal and Comprehensive Approach M. Elvira Mendez-Pinedo 0professor of European Law. University of IcelandThe entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in December 2009 was supposed to have far-reaching implications for the development of a European policy on justice and access to justice as it “constitutionalized” for the first time this important topic. However, at the time of writing, European Union (EU) law has been unable to construct and provide a proper system of access to justice for European citizens across all European Member States. In particular, the study of the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg shows that the European model of access to justice based on litigation, access to courts and on the defense of individual rights is inherently limited. The author advocates a change of approach, aiming for a better definition of a substantive notion of access to justice in the light of a broad system of European social justice and equality. This new approach could be based on the classic theory and methodology of “access-to-justice” developed in the early 80s by Professor Mauro Cappelletti. His encyclopaedia on the topic offered a horizontal comprehensive strategy to construct a justice system and procedural laws based on the needs of the ordinary citizens. https://www.adjuris.ro/revista/articole/An12nr4/5.%20Elvira%20Mendez%20Pinedo%20Art.%202.pdfaccess to justiceeu laweuropean convention of human rightscritique and methodology
spellingShingle M. Elvira Mendez-Pinedo
Access to Justice in European Law: Moving from “Access to Courts” Towards a Substantive, Horizontal and Comprehensive Approach
Perspectives of Law and Public Administration
access to justice
eu law
european convention of human rights
critique and methodology
title Access to Justice in European Law: Moving from “Access to Courts” Towards a Substantive, Horizontal and Comprehensive Approach
title_full Access to Justice in European Law: Moving from “Access to Courts” Towards a Substantive, Horizontal and Comprehensive Approach
title_fullStr Access to Justice in European Law: Moving from “Access to Courts” Towards a Substantive, Horizontal and Comprehensive Approach
title_full_unstemmed Access to Justice in European Law: Moving from “Access to Courts” Towards a Substantive, Horizontal and Comprehensive Approach
title_short Access to Justice in European Law: Moving from “Access to Courts” Towards a Substantive, Horizontal and Comprehensive Approach
title_sort access to justice in european law moving from access to courts towards a substantive horizontal and comprehensive approach
topic access to justice
eu law
european convention of human rights
critique and methodology
url https://www.adjuris.ro/revista/articole/An12nr4/5.%20Elvira%20Mendez%20Pinedo%20Art.%202.pdf
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