This opening session explores contemporary justice challenges within a broader socio-political and economic context. It will look to draw out global trends such as the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in decision-making, the impact of declining public trust on the legitimacy and expectations of justice institutions, global challenges such as environmental changes and migration, and changes in the information ecosystem on access to justice.

Trust in public institutions is declining globally. Although the judiciary enjoys relatively higher trust compared to other institutions, it remains too low. At a time when democratic governments are navigating digital and environmental transitions, heightened geopolitical tensions, and the social consequences of economic uncertainty, restoring trust in institutions has become an urgent imperative in many countries. This session will explore how justice systems can foster renewed confidence by embracing more transparency and proximity. It will highlight people-centred and community-based approaches that bring justice closer to people. Ministers will be invited to share promising reforms and local models that earn trust by enhancing responsiveness in justice delivery, and countering disengagement – particularly among underserved groups.

Justice systems are evolving from institution-focused to user-centred public services. This shift reflects a growing recognition that justice should be designed around the capabilities and priorities of people and businesses – making it intuitive, timely, and accessible. At the same time, efficient justice systems are essential to broader national objectives: they underpin economic competitiveness by fostering legal certainty, and offering fair, efficient and predictable dispute resolution. Together, these elements position justice as a critical public service that supports well-being and prosperity. This session will explore how to design and deliver justice that is intuitive, timely, cost-effective, and responsive to real-world legal needs and justice problems. Ministers will be invited to share reforms their countries have implemented to simplify processes and improve the delivery of justice services – whether through innovative design thinking approaches, the use of data, or digital technologies. Discussions will focus on how these efforts have helped make justice services work effectively for individuals and businesses, while enhancing accessibility, responsiveness and efficiency across the justice system.

Justice systems today operate in a context of growing disruption – from economic uncertainty to declining trust in public institutions. In this evolving landscape, justice institutions must be resilient, responsive, and a source of social stability and economic prosperity. Progress towards people-centred and efficient justice systems is often hampered by limited data on legal needs, user journeys, or their experiences. Shifting from a document-based to a data-driven approach is critical to unlock automation, enable AI, and support accessible, efficient and timely justice. This session will explore how justice systems leverage data, automation and AI to anticipate legal needs and justice problems, deliver justice services efficiently, and support evidence-based policymaking. Ministers will be invited to share reforms and initiatives aimed at simplifying processes, improving efficiency, and enhancing the responsiveness of justice. Discussions will also consider how data-driven justice systems can strengthen access to justice, support business confidence, and reinforce public trust.

Justice is the cornerstone of resilient societies and thriving economies. When justice systems are people-centred, transparent, and effective, they foster public trust, attract investment, and promote innovation. As governments confront a rapidly changing world – marked by technological disruption, rising inequalities, and growing public scepticism – justice institutions must evolve to remain relevant and responsive. This high-level opening session will offer a forward-looking vision for the justice sector by reaffirming the critical role of justice in advancing shared prosperity and democratic resilience. Anchored in recent global developments and focused on future-oriented reforms, the session will underscore justice as a strategic public service essential to inclusive growth, public confidence, and long-term competitiveness. The session will explore how justice systems can evolve beyond reactive, litigation-focused models to become proactive and problem-solving – strengthening fairness in society. It will highlight the imperative to build justice systems that are digitally enabled, data-informed, and designed around real-world needs of people, communities, and small businesses.

Artificial intelligence and digital technologies are transforming how justice systems function and how people resolve their problems. From AI-assisted triage and automated administrative processes to predictive decision-making, these tools can streamline processes, reduce backlogs, and enhance efficiency of justice systems. Yet their integration into the justice sector raises complex questions of fairness, transparency, data use, and accountability. As AI continues to evolve, justice systems must be equipped to use it responsibly – safeguarding rights, reducing inequalities, and reinforcing public trust. This session will bring together justice leaders and digital experts to explore strategic approaches to AI and digital transformation in justice. The session will highlight efforts and challenges to leverage AI for access to justice, to implement emerging AI regulatory frameworks, and to design oversight and redress mechanisms in case of potential harms and AI incidents. Participants will also discuss how to ensure fairness and explainability in AI-enabled decisions, safeguard information integrity, and strengthen institutional capacity.

The ability to harness high-quality data is critical to improving justice outcomes, enabling proactive interventions, and delivering better results for people and businesses. Data governance underpins the development of emerging tools – from justice data portals and predictive analytics for victim protection, to automated anonymisation tools and real-time dashboards. Despite growing efforts to shift from document-based to data-driven justice systems, data governance remains fragmented. Justice institutions often struggle with limited interoperability, underutilised administrative data, and gaps in capturing user experience. As AI becomes more embedded in justice delivery, the integrity, transparency and public value of data systems are more important than ever. This peer learning session will explore how countries are designing and implementing robust justice data ecosystems. Participants will exchange practical strategies to collect, share and use data across institutions and jurisdictions. The discussion will highlight innovations in risk assessment, early intervention, and evaluation of what works – with a focus on how data can drive fairness, efficiency, and trust in justice systems.

A well-functioning justice system is essential not only for upholding the rule of law, but also for driving economic growth and competitiveness. In a fast-moving global economy, businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), rely on efficient and accessible justice services to operate with confidence, resolve disputes swiftly, and manage regulatory obligations. Yet many SMEs face complex legal procedures and while no timely and effective dispute resolution is available, which can drain resources, inhibit innovation, and stifle investment. Justice systems that reduce these burdens can play a catalytic role in enabling entrepreneurship, securing transactions, and fostering fair and predictable business environment. This fireside chat will bring together voices from across the legal and business communities to explore how justice reforms can build a more dynamic, inclusive, and competitive economy. The discussion will highlight how legal certainty, effective enforcement, and simplified procedures contribute to stronger investment climates and improved business outcomes. Panellists will reflect on innovative approaches such as targeted dispute resolution services, legal capability building, and digitalisation of justice for SMEs. The conversation will also consider how collaboration across sectors can bridge justice gaps and create justice ecosystems that support economic competitiveness.

An effective relationship between the executive and the judiciary is essential to the sound functioning of democratic institutions and the rule of law. As justice systems navigate increasingly complex social, political and institutional environments, ensuring judicial independence and reinforcing mutual respect across branches of government remain key to building resilient institutions and maintaining public trust. This session will explore how leadership, integrity and institutional safeguards can help strengthen the justice sector and support justice professionals in fulfilling their roles with confidence and impartiality. It will consider how judicial actors and institutions can be supported nationally and internationally through peer networks, professional associations, and broader governance frameworks. The discussion will also reflect on how collaboration and dialogue across institutions can contribute to upholding shared democratic values and fostering trust.

The closing session will reflect on the key insights and takeaways from the day, reaffirming the critical role of digital technologies, AI and data in the justice sector in people-centred, efficient and effective justice. It will outline next steps for collaboration, policy development, and cross-sector engagement to ensure that justice sectors continue to evolve and serve the needs of all members of society. Short wrap-up by the OECD. Spain invites continued engagement over cocktail and Technical Roundtables.

People-centred justice is grounded in users’ needs, expectations and lived experiences. As justice systems evolve from institution-focused to user-centred public services, there is growing recognition that justice must be intuitive, timely and accessible. This transformation prompts justice institutions to rethink justice services by aligning them with people’s journeys, tailoring responses to the complexity and nature of disputes, and ensuring seamless coordination across resolution mechanisms and governance levels. In doing so, justice systems do not only resolve problems more efficiently – they become more responsive, accessible and equitable public services. This session will examine how justice institutions are rethinking service design to make justice journeys more intuitive, responsive, and context-sensitive to the needs of people. It will explore how approaches such as legal design thinking, journey mapping and service co-creation are being used to develop accessible and user-centred justice pathways. A key focus will be the continuum of dispute resolution – ensuring users can move seamlessly between early resolution, mediation, arbitration and formal court processes without losing support or encountering redundancy. It will also highlight the importance of integrating local and community-based initiatives into broader justice design, reinforcing their role in delivering justice where it is most needed.

Enhancing access to justice remains a shared priority across the Ibero-American region, with countries exploring new ways to promote inclusion, strengthen local service delivery, and use data to better understand and respond to people’s legal needs. This session will bring together justice leaders and practitioners from across the Ibero-American countries to exchange experiences, local practices and challenges in advancing inclusive and effective justice. The discussion will explore how countries are working to ensure that no one is left behind, including by recognising and integrating community and customary justice practices. It will also focus on efforts to deliver justice services at the local level, bringing them closer to people’s everyday legal needs. Finally, the session will examine how data is being used to identify justice gaps and strengthen service delivery. Participants will reflect on what is working, where challenges remain, and how peer collaboration across countries can advance access to justice.

Disasters – including extreme weather events are becoming more and more frequent, severe and complex, placing growing demands on the justice systems. Their consequences are far-reaching, from destroying houses, disrupting businesses, and displacing communities, to intensifying issues like competition for land and water. The legal problems and justice needs that they are generating span from prevention-related problems, to short- and long-term justice needs that emerge in the aftermath. Justice systems are increasingly called upon to address them and support a quick and fair recovery. Given the large number of people affected simultaneously, justice systems must be adaptive, responsive, and capable of handling justice problems on a large scale and at pace. This session will explore how justice systems can adapt to prevent and effectively address legal needs and justice problems caused by a wide range of disasters, including extreme weather events. It will examine adaptive solutions such as including justice systems in disaster risk governance and promoting community-based support for disaster-affected populations. Discussions will also consider the importance of data collection in understanding the needs arising from climate challenges and shaping effective responses.

Robust measurement frameworks are essential to ensure accountability, transparency and continuous improvement in justice delivery. As countries strive to implement people-centred justice systems, they must be able to assess progress, diagnose gaps and align actions with evidence. Measuring what matters – such as fairness, responsiveness and trust – requires more than traditional indicators. It calls for new metrics that reflect user experience and system-wide outcomes. This session will explore country efforts to develop and apply data and indicators that track the performance of people-centred justice systems. Drawing on the forthcoming OECD People-centred Justice Measurement Framework and Indicators, the discussion will highlight innovations in outcome measurement and policy indicators linked to the OECD Recommendation. The session will also address how outcome and policy metrics can support better service delivery, more targeted investments, and a stronger case for reform across levels of government.

The 2023 OECD Recommendation on Access to Justice and People-Centred Justice Systems provides a shared vision and roadmap to advance more accessible, equitable and resilient justice systems. As countries move from commitment to implementation, understanding what works, and where gaps remain, becomes essential. To support this process, the OECD has developed the forthcoming Implementation Toolkit for the OECD Recommendation and the forthcoming State of People-Centred Justice Report. This session will explore where countries are advancing, where further improvement is needed in relation to the Recommendation’s five Pillars, and how the OECD Toolkit and peer learning can support implementation efforts. The session will also highlight opportunities for collaboration through policy instruments, peer review and multilateral cooperation.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are key drivers of economic development, employment, and innovation across the MEA region. Yet, they often face disproportionate barriers in accessing legal and justice systems, undermining their ability to enforce contracts, resolve disputes, and operate within a predictable legal environment. In a region where informality, regulatory fragmentation, and limited access to legal recourses persist, improving justice services for SMEs is critical to fostering inclusive and sustained growth, strengthening legal certainty and public trust, and supporting broader economic reform efforts. Building on its global work on people- and business-centred justice systems, the OECD is developing a regional report to assess the justice needs of SMEs in MEAA countries. This session will serve as both a peer learning platform and a consultation space to gather first-hand perspectives on the justice challenges SMEs encounter, and to surface emerging policy and institutional reforms aimed at closing the justice gap. Insights shared during the session will inform the upcoming OECD report.

Justice is not only a fundamental public good but also a strategic economic investment. Unresolved legal problems impose significant costs on individuals, businesses, and societies – ranging from diminished productivity and health outcomes to reduced trust in institutions. Evidence suggests that the economic impact of unmet legal needs can amount up to 3% of a country's GDP. This session will focus on exploring recent examples in strengthening the case for investment in effective and responsive justice.

Spain has emerged as a leader in justice sector digitalisation, implementing a comprehensive reform agenda that emphasises technology, user experience, and public value. From developing a national policy on the use of artificial intelligence in the administration of justice to modernising case management, anonymisation and risk assessment tools for victims of domestic violence. These reforms are underpinned by a strategic commitment to building a data-driven justice system that is responsive, efficient and effective. This session will provide a platform for Spain to present these flagship digital justice initiatives. Discussions will highlight the implementation of AI in legal services, the design of user-friendly digital court systems, and the role of public-private partnerships in modernising justice infrastructure. The session will also explore how data analytics are being leveraged to improve judicial performance and user outcomes. Insights from Spain's experience can offer valuable lessons for countries pursuing similar justice sector reforms.

This final session will synthesise insights from the day’s discussions, highlight shared priorities, and define concrete next steps for collective action. It will reaffirm the importance of justice as a public service and as an enabler of trust, inclusive growth and institutional resilience. Participants will be invited to share key takeaways, reflect on opportunities for collaboration, and outline tangible commitments to advance people-centred justice. The session will close with a call to action and a preview of upcoming work to sustain momentum, deepen learning, and continue the conversation beyond the Roundtable.