Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

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43. Notes that the CJEU registered 20 requests of public access to administrative documents in 2024 and granted access to administrative documents in 15 cases; notes that the European Ombudsman did not handle any case concerning the CJEU;

Digitalisation, cybersecurity and data protection

44. Notes that in 2024, compared to 2023, the budget expenditure decreased by 9 % for IT projects and by 69 % for cybersecurity projects, while it increased by 16 % for IT equipment, and 2 % for cybersecurity services, licences and equipment; observes that the significant decrease in IT projects is due to the fact that certain cybersecurity projects have entered the operational phase in 2024 and related expenses are thus included in the standard operations budget;

45. Commends the CJEU for the progress made in various digital projects in 2024, such as the roll-out of the upgraded SIGA programme for integrated data and case management, the increased and improved use of HAN/Ares application (CJEU’s electronic document registration and management system), the implementation of EU Sign (a digital signature system) and the overhaul of both Curia Site and InfoCuria search tool; acknowledges the importance of increasing the use of the e-Curia application for lodging and notification of procedural documents by electronic means;

46. Notes that the CJEU continued to automatise its processes with the use, as of 2024, of a robotic software to process repetitive tasks such as transcription of hearings and the payment of invoices; expects that the application of robotic process automation solutions will help optimise resources across the CJEU; acknowledges the importance of interinstitutional cooperation benefiting the CJEU when it comes to efficiencies generated by the use of major IT systems for document and record management (HAN/Ares), HR (Sysper and Staff matters), financial records management (SAP) and other Commission (AI-based) systems, for example for translation services (eTranslation);

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Changed43.47. Notes with interest the launch in 2024 of a pilot project providing all of the CJEU’s departments with access to AI assistants; underlines the importance of ensuring adherence to ethical principles when using AI tools and in particular to CJEU’s AI Guidelines adopted in 2024, thus ensuring human oversight in respect of the principle of independence of legal proceedings; underlines that the use of AI tools in a judicial environment must never replace human legal reasoning or judicial discretion, nor undermine the personal responsibility of judges; highlights in this context the supervisory role of CJEU’s AI Management Board; commends the CJEU for the comprehensive training programme it has put in place in 2024, starting with an “AI awareness month” that included training sessions, roundtables animated by AI experts, webinars and bootcamps, thus taking a first and important step towards creating awareness of staff members about the CJEU’s AI strategy, guidelines and AI in general; notes that staff members also follow courses on change management, knowledge transfer, mentoring, and mental agility to support adaptation to emerging technologies; invites the CJEU to continue organising such training and awareness programmes;

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Changed44.48. Notes from the Follow-upfollow-up report that, following the entry into force of the new Cybersecurity Regulation in early 2024, the CJEU established a cybersecurity action plan and is implementing related IT infrastructure projects; notes that the CJEU conducts at least three annual disaster recovery tests covering on-premise systems, telecommunication services, and internet provider failover;

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Changed45.49. Notes that cybersecurity operational capabilities were further strengthened in 2024 to comply with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2023/2841 and to address the rising number of cyberattacks; observes that no major cyberattacks occurred in 2024; notes with concern that an average of 142 security incidents per month were recorded and analysed, some requiring human intervention; emphasise that cybersecurity is a strategic investment, essential to safeguarding judicial independence, data integrity and the continuity of judicial activity, underling therefore the need for sustained and predictable investment in cybersecurity capabilities, staff training and interinstitutional cooperation;

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50. Observes that the investigation by the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) into the use of cloud services provided by Amazon Web Services and Microsoft under Cloud II contracts by Union institutions, bodies, and agencies was closed in 2025; notes further that the CJEU did not receive any recommendations following this investigation;

51. Notes that, as part of its comprehensive initiative to increase accessibility and inclusion for persons with vulnerability, the CJEU has continued to implement the “accessibility by design” approach for any change and evolution of its IT systems; notes that, following an audit of the Curia website in 2023, the CJEU is adopting technologies to improve the site’s accessibility to a wide range of users, such as persons with visual impairments, hearing impairments or learning disabilities; invites the CJEU to keep the discharge authority updated on this matter;

Buildings

52. Notes from the follow-up report that in the framework of two pilot projects on the most efficient use of the CJEU’s premises, several workshops were held in 2024 which led to the development of two layouts tailored to the needs of each service; notes that the follow-up of those projects has been suspended in order to first allow for time to assess the impact that AI integration might have on CJEU’s working methods and, ultimately, on the usage of space and offices;

53. Notes that, in 2024, the CJEU further pursued its comprehensive initiative to increase accessibility and inclusion for persons with disabilities; notes in particular that the CJEU has drawn up a long-term action plan to ensure that its buildings meet the legal accessibility standards by 1 January 2032 as required by Luxembourgish law; appreciates that the CJEU has established an inventory of remediation points for parts of its infrastructure and has commissioned an architect for a feasibility study which will determine the necessary actions to be taken; invites the CJEU to keep the discharge authority updated on this matter;

Environment and sustainability

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Changed50.54. Commends the CJEU for its continued efforts and significant progress in reducing its environmental footprint in 2024, as demonstrated by its performance against the 2015 Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) baseline with reductions per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) achieved in many types of consumptions/emissions (heating: - 37,5 %; electricity: -29,3 %; paper: -64,2 %, office and canteen waste: -40,4 %; greenhouse gas emissions: -30,20-26,7 %); notes an overall improvement when compared to reductions reported for 2023; acknowledges that these results, combined with market conditions, led to an 18 % reduction in energy expenditure compared to forecasts; commends in this context the robust integration of sustainability into the Court’stheCJEU’s risk management and accountability framework, as required by its EMAS certification;

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Changed51.55. Welcomes the substantial investments in 2024 to enhance the energy efficiency of the CJEU's buildings, including nearly EUR 1,5 million for the widespread installation of LED lighting and over EUR 0, 4 million for building insulation works; notes with satisfaction that all purchased electricity came from renewable sources and that heating is supplied by a district system powered by biomass; welcomes the CJEUt'sCJEU's commitment to future-proofing its green energy supply through planned participation in Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs);

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Changed52.56. Commends the CJEU for its rigorous approach to sustainable procurement, through the categorisation of calls for tenders based on the impact (‘light green’, ‘medium green’, ‘top green’) of their environmental clauses, the systematic use of tools such as the mandatory 'green performance' self-assessment and the consultation of the interinstitutional SPP Helpdesk; notes that in 2024, eleveneight major tenders above EUR 60 000 were ‘green purchases’, eightsix of which incorporated significant environmental clauses; welcomes in particular the successful implementation of the new catering contract, which requires sustainable food practices and holds the ISO 14001 certification, and the achievement of the objective to limit 'light green' tenders to well below the 50 % target;

57. Commends the CJEU for its comprehensive and effective sustainable mobility strategy for staff and members; notes in this context the continued subsidies for public transport for cross-border commuting and the Vel'Oh! bicycle scheme, alongside significant infrastructure improvements, including the installation in 2024 of numerous charging points for electric and hybrid vehicles;

58. Notes the significant shift towards sustainable working methods, with a substantial increase in the use of videoconferencing by members of the CJEU to avoid travel, evidenced by 131 such missions in 2024 compared to just three in 2019; further welcomes the ongoing digitalisation of processes, which, combined with the removal of 80 % of personal printers, has been a key driver in the drastic reduction of CJEU’s paper consumption;

Interinstitutional cooperation

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Changed55.59. Notes the CJEU’s cooperation with other institutions and in particular the shared applications and hosting services based on service-level agreements (SLAs) with the Commission as well as the participation in interinstitutional procurement procedures, which have allowed the CJEU to optimise costs and resources; acknowledges the importance of the interinstitutional cooperation of CJEU with CERT-EUCybersecurity Service for the Union institutions, bodies, offices and ENISA,agencies (CERT-EU) and European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), including participation in Technical Advisory Groups on tools, methodologies, and awareness, as well as in CERT-EU’s generative AI initiative;

60. Notes that CJEU has entered into several SLAs for maintenance of IT infrastructure, use of HR tools, the payment of some individual entitlements and the use of HAN/Ares document management system; welcomes the renewal of the annual financing agreement concluded with the translation services of other Union institutions; notes that in 2024 it has signed two memorandums of understanding (MoU) with the Commission and Parliament: a MoU on the financial burden sharing relating to the use of a remote testing tool for interinstitutional accreditation test and a MoU on costs sharing for joint outreach activities of the interpretation services;

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Changed59.61. Appreciates that the CJEU fully cooperates with European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the Court, the EDPS and the European Ombudsman; takes note of CJEU’s partnership with EJTN which helps the CJEU in its work towards fostering common judicial culture across the EU,Union, ensuring the consistent and uniform application of Union law in all Member States and strengthening mutual trust between national judiciaries and the CJEU; appreciates in this context the organisation of annual meetings with correspondents of national courts, thematic groups, webinars and visits of CJEU representatives to national courts and vice versa; notes in particular for 2024 the annual meeting of the EJTN correspondents which took place in Brussels, the visit to Warsaw by a delegation from the General Court, as well as the annual meeting of Judges with a special conference held at the CJEU to mark the 20th anniversary of the 2004 enlargement; notes further from the follow-up report that in 2024 a higher number of Judges attended seminars and national justice professionals from three new Member States submitted their applications for the first time for CJEU’s long-term training programmes;

62. Welcomes that the CJEU and Parliament decided to hold annual meetings, which are meant as dialogues on topics of common interest such as administration, potential for improvement of the justice system or the perception by citizens of the rule of law; notes that the first such meeting took place in March 2024;

Communication

63. Notes that the CJEU organises visits regularly with a total of 16 319 visitors registered in 2024; notes that around 2 500 of those visitors attended CJEU’s Open Day that year; notes further that besides regular visits, the CJEU also organises virtual visits; notes that 7 % of all CJEU’s visitors in 2024 were virtual, whereas 43 % of them were students;

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Changed62.64. Notes that, in 2024, the CJEU strengthened its efforts to engage with Union citizens by enhancing its outreach on social media; notes that, at the end of 2024, the number of subscribers to the CJEU’s LinkedIn account increased by 26 % and the number of followers on the CJEU’s two accounts on X (formerly Twitter) by 2,5 %,while the views on its YouTube channel increased by 236137 % and the number of its YouTube subscribers increased by more than 400329 % compared to the previous year; notes that the parabolic increase in views and subscribers was partly due to a promotional campaign organised by the CJEU;

65. Notes that in 2024 the CJEU launched a study on expanding its social media presence, which led to the decision to open accounts on Instagram, Bluesky, Threads and WhatsApp in 2025;

66. Notes with appreciation other key actions and plans of the CJEU to enhance transparency and accessibility and meet the needs of legal professionals, the media and the general public (including younger generations), such as the overhaul of CJEU’s website with the introduction of a new (single) search engine, the launch of a new multilingual Web TV platform with content on CJEU’s work and decisions, the publication of videos on social media, the simplification of language used in CJEU’s press releases and the revision of CJEU’s annual reporting to provide clearer case law overviews and statistics.