The Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence Just AI had the privilege of hosting Prof. Marco Giacalone from Vrije Universiteit Brussel as our fourth and final guest speaker in this year’s series of engaging talks. His presentation was a thought-provoking exploration of Access to justice, Digitisation, e-Justice, and the pivotal role of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) in fostering consumer trust.
Prof. Giacalone opened with a striking observation: more people globally have access to the Internet than access to justice. This statement set the stage for a critical discussion on how digital tools can bridge the gap and enhance the justice system's inclusivity and efficiency.
Prof. Giacalone outlined the goals of e-Justice as a means to empower citizens and make judicial processes more effective across Europe. He focused on three primary objectives:
1. Improving Access to Information: Ensuring that citizens have reliable and transparent information about legal processes.
2. Digitising Judicial and Extrajudicial Proceedings: Simplifying and accelerating access to courts through online platforms and tools.
3. Enhancing Interconnectivity Across Member States: Developing systems that enable seamless interoperability and collaboration between national e-justice infrastructures within the European Union.
These steps are critical to making justice systems more accessible, particularly for underserved populations.
A significant portion of the discussion centered on Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). Prof. Giacalone emphasized ODR’s transformative potential in building consumer trust by offering efficient, transparent, and user-friendly ways to resolve disputes. By leveraging digital platforms, ODR ensures faster resolutions, reduces costs, and enhances the overall user experience in the justice ecosystem.