Flash Eurobarometer FL541 : Perceived independence of the national justice systems among companies (2024)

One in two companies rate the justice system in their country - in terms of the independence of courts and judges - as good. On the contrary, a little over one in three companies say that the independence of courts and judges is bad, with 22% saying it is "fairly bad" and 13% that it is "very bad". These results have remained stable compared to January 2023. Out of all companies, 39% of say that the status and position of judges sufficiently guaranteeing their independence explains why they rate the independence of the justice system in their country as good . 31% out of all companies refer to the absence of interference of pressure from economic or other specific interests and 29% out of all companies to the absence of interference or pressure from government and politicians as a reason to explain their rating. Out of all companies, 28% say that the interference or pressure from government and politicians explains why they rate the level of independence of the justice system in their country as bad. 27% out of all companies say this about interference or pressure from economic or other specific interests, and 23% out of all companies about the fact that the status and position of judges do not sufficiently guarantee their independence. 54% of companies in the EU say that they are confident that the law and courts in their country protect their investments if something goes wrong (13% say that they are "very confident" and 40% that they are "fairly confident").

Processed data

Processed data files for the Eurobarometer surveys are published in .xlsx format.

• Volume A "Countries/EU"
  The file contains frequencies and means or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of (weighted) replies for each country or territory and for (weighted) EU results.
• Volume AP "Previous survey trends"
  The file compares to the previous poll in (weighted) frequencies and means (or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies); shifts for each country or territory foreseen in Volume A and for (weighted) results.
• Volume AA "Groups of countries"
  The file contains (labelled) frequencies and means or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of (weighted) replies for groups of countries specified by the managing unit on the part of the EC.
• Volume AAP "Trends of groups of countries"
  The file contains shifts compared to the previous poll in (weighted) frequencies and means (or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies); shifts for each groups of countries foreseen in Volume AA and for (weighted) results.
• Volume B "EU/socio-demographics"
  The file contains (labelled) frequencies and means or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies for the EU as a whole (weighted) and cross-tabulated by some 20 sociodemographic, socio-political or other variables, depending on the request from the managing unit on the part of the EC or the managing department of the other contracting authorities.
• Volume BP "Trends of EU/socio-demographics"
  The file contains shifts compared to the previous poll in (weighted) frequencies and means (or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies); shifts for each country or territory foreseen in Volume B above)and for (weighted) results.
• Volume C "Country/socio-demographics"
  The file contains (labelled) weighted frequencies and means or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies for each country or territory surveyed separately and cross-tabulated by some 20 socio-demographic, socio-political or other variables (including a regional breakdown).
• Volume D "Trends""
  The file compares to previous polls in (weighted) frequencies and means (or other synthetic indicators including elementary bivariate statistics describing distribution patterns of replies); shifts for each country or territory foreseen in Volume A and for (weighted) results.

For SPSS files and questionnaires, please contact GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences: https://www.gesis.org/eurobarometer