Civil justice: NRRP targets met – processing times halved

Settlement times have fallen by 50.02% in civil proceedings. This is the consolidated figure, as at 30 June 2026, announced by the Minister of Justice, Carlo Nordio, and the Vice-President of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, Fabio Pinelli, in a joint statement. The final and most complex target for Courts of Appeal and District Courts, assigned to Italia under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for the justice sector, exceeds by 10 per cent the target set by Brussels at 40 per cent for civil cases – and by 25 per cent for criminal cases – to be achieved by 30 June 2026, compared with the corresponding figures for 2019. This result – according to Via Arenula – is expected to be fully and officially validated by the European Commission.

The target for clearing the backlog of civil proceedings is a 90 per cent reduction. Litigation with two characteristics: being pending as at 31 December 2022 and having been registered from 1 January 2017 onwards in the District Courts and from 1 January 2018 onwards in the Courts of Appeal. These targets have essentially been achieved. The figures as at 31 December 2025 indicate, in fact, a reduction of 86.1 per cent in the District Courts and 86.7 per cent in the Courts of Appeal, compared with a target of a 90 per cent reduction by June 2026.

The joint press release issued by the Ministry of Justice and the CSM highlights the significance of an achievement made possible thanks to the synergy between institutions. ‘This result demonstrates how institutional collaboration, whilst fully respecting the autonomy and remit of each body, can translate into tangible benefits for citizens and businesses, strengthening confidence in the State’s ability to provide timely and effective responses to the demand for justice. The reduction in the duration of civil proceedings – the statement reads – is not merely the achievement of a European target but, above all, represents an improvement in the quality of the service provided to citizens, a factor in the competitiveness of the economic system and a more effective guarantee of rights.”

And of course, thanks are also due to those working in the sector. “The Minister of Justice and the Vice-President of the CSM extend their sincere thanks to the men and women of the judiciary who, through their professionalism, dedication and spirit of service, have made this historic achievement possible”.

The National Directorate for Constitutional Unity has also expressed its satisfaction with the result achieved and highlighted the enormous effort required of magistrates, administrative staff and the legal profession. It calls for investment. “The administration of justice must invest decisively in structural measures that bring about lasting improvements to the service and ensure that the effects of the system’s inefficiencies do not fall solely on the judges. Only in this way can the progress achieved be consolidated over time’.