Tech & Rights

Belgium's Access to Justice Reform Hinders Access to Justice

The reform to access to justice in Belgium provides worrying measures, including: abolition of the irrebuttable presumption of the state of need; more controls; and reduced remuneration of pro-bono lawyers. It is...

by David Morelli
Image: Robert Linsdell - Flickr/CC content

The reform to access to justice in Belgium provides worrying measures, including: abolition of the irrebuttable presumption of the state of need; more controls; and reduced remuneration of pro-bono lawyers. It is increasingly difficult for many citizens to pay a lawyer since the introduction of a 21 percent VAT on fees and the increase of court fees. The mention in the Justice Plan that reform "must ensure the system remains affordable" seems cynical in light of these measures, and a petition has been launched against them.



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