The European Commission's 2026 Rule of Law Report on Luxembourg, published on 22 July 2026, finds the country's judicial independence perceived as very high (78% of public, 75% of companies) and ranks it among the least corrupt in the EU (score 78/100, 4th in the EU). The report assesses progress on 2025 recommendations and identifies areas needing further action, including justice digitalisation, rising court disposition times, and pending reforms on access to official documents and juvenile justice.
On the justice system, the report notes that the National Council for Justice functions effectively. Digitalisation of proceedings has seen some progress: a management committee was established in December 2025, with milestones set for civil document management by late 2026 and criminal digitalisation by mid-2027. However, reform of criminal justice for minors remains pending, awaiting a Council of State opinion. Recruitment initiatives have brought in 42 magistrates by end-2025 (up from 28), but vacancies persist, especially in the Court of Appeal. Disposition times have increased across all instances: civil/commercial first instance rose to 251 days in 2024 from 221 in 2023; administrative first instance rose to 720 days in 2024 from 479 in 2023. Plans for a new specialised tribunal for asylum and migration are under discussion.
On anti-corruption, a national evaluation of corruption risks was launched in January 2026 to develop a national anti-corruption strategy. Convictions in corruption cases slightly increased, while reported cases remained stable. Human resources in anti-corruption services significantly increased: analysts and IT staff rose by about 50%, with four additional police officers and two investigative judges. New rules were adopted to strengthen control over financial resources of parliamentary groups. Whistleblower alerts continued to increase in 2025.
On media and civic space, ongoing media reform aims to strengthen the national media regulator and the Press Council. The public service broadcaster (Radio 100,7) operates independently. The government adopted a National Action Plan on Safety of Journalists for 2025-2028. Reform to make the Consultative Commission for Human Rights (CCDH) more independent remains pending in Parliament.
step up efforts to further develop digitalisation of civil, criminal and administrative proceedings, and step up efforts to finalise the reform of the legal framework on access to official documents, taking into account European standards.
Luxembourg's government and judiciary face pressure to accelerate digitalisation and address court delays, which affect litigants and legal professionals. The anti-corruption measures benefit civil society and businesses by enhancing transparency. Media reforms strengthen journalists' safety and regulator independence, but pending reforms on access to documents and CCDH independence leave civic space advocates awaiting action. The report's positive assessment of judicial independence and low corruption reinforces Luxembourg's reputation, potentially attracting investment and talent.