News item | 13-12-2024 | 3:30 PM
State Secretary Struycken strengthens access to justice through better information provision and improvements in the areas of advice, support and obtaining a decision from a neutral body. Better access to the law allows people and companies to find a suitable and sustainable solution to a legal problem or dispute. The government will make 35.6 million euros structurally available from 2027 to strengthen access to justice. An additional one-off amount of 3.4 and 2.1 million euros is available for 2025 and 2026. The State Secretary writes this in a letter to the House of Representatives.
State Secretary Struycken: “In a constitutional state, citizens must be protected and everyone must adhere to the law. This makes it fundamental that people have access to justice. People with a legal problem must be able to find the right legal help. By strengthening access to justice, these people can find a solution to their problem in an accessible way. In this way we not only strengthen our rule of law, but we also increase the confidence that people have in the government and the legal system.”
To provide better information to litigants, a page will be available on Rijksoverheid.nl in early 2025 with understandable information and videos about various ways to solve a legal problem. This way, litigants know where they can go and from whom they can get advice, support or a decision from a neutral body.
To provide advice and support to litigants, efforts are being made to strengthen first-line facilities, such as the Legal Desk. The Legal Desk will have a coordinating role for strengthening first-line legal assistance and expands cooperation with government services and the social domain. In implementation of a motion by Members of Parliament Van Nispen and Palmen, it is also being explored how a nationwide network of socio-legal services can be designed, building on existing local and regional initiatives. This way, litigants’ problems can be resolved more quickly.
Legal aid centers are also an important first point of contact for litigants. That is why the existing subsidy scheme for legal aid centers is being expanded so that every existing legal aid center can qualify for a subsidy. From January 1, 2025, 515,000 euros will be available annually for this subsidy.
Social lawyers are an important condition for access to justice, especially for the most vulnerable people. However, the profession is under pressure due to an aging population and a lack of inflow. Many parties involved have a role to play in finding a solution to this, including the government, education and the legal profession itself. Together with the Dutch Bar Association, the State Secretary wants to work on a more sustainable office model for social lawyers. In addition, the State Secretary sees opportunities to pay more attention in law studies to areas of law in which many social lawyers are active, such as family law. The compensation for social advocacy must also be appropriate. The Van der Meer II Committee is currently investigating this. Based on the recommendations of this committee, the State Secretary will consider what is financially necessary and possible.
People can also find a solution to a legal problem through mediation. That is why the starting contribution for mediation is extended for five years. The starting contribution makes the first two and a half hours of mediation free of charge for people who are not eligible for subsidized mediation, if they are referred from the judiciary.
The State Secretary is also committed to strengthening the process of obtaining a decision from a neutral body. For example, by investing extra in the Judiciary. Existing policy will also be continued to expand the number of locations where community justice is provided