The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Justice Services Improvement Project (P160751) Justice Services Improvement Project (P160751) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | Romania | Governance Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2017 | Seq No: 14 | ARCHIVED on 30-Oct-2023 | ISR56740 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Justice, Romania Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 31-Jan-2017 Effectiveness Date: 03-Aug-2017 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 29-Jun-2020 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 29-Jun-2020 Original Closing Date: 31-Dec-2023 Revised Closing Date: 30-Nov-2025 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) To improve the efficiency and accessibility of targeted justice institutions. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Improving Access to Justice:(Cost $1.14 M) Improving Operations of Courts and Institutions under MOJ Authority:(Cost $39.15 M) Enhancing National Trade Registry Office Performance:(Cost $13.46 M) Improving Prosecution Operations:(Cost $12.46 M) Project Management:(Cost $6.37 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Moderate Implementation Status and Key Decisions The Project was restructured, extending JSIP implementation period until November 30, 2025. The Amendment to the Loan Agreement was countersigned by the Ministry of Finance on July 4, 2023. Project ratings for "Progress towards achievement of PDO, "Overall Implementation Progress" and "Improving Operations of Courts and Institutions under MOJ Authority" are being upgraded from "Moderately Satisfactory" to "Satisfactory" to reflect advancements in implementation and progress toward achievement of the Project’s development objective. 10/30/2023 Page 1 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Justice Services Improvement Project (P160751) Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Moderate Moderate Moderate Macroeconomic Moderate Substantial Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies Low Low Low Technical Design of Project or Program Substantial Moderate Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Moderate Moderate Sustainability Fiduciary Moderate Moderate Moderate Environment and Social Moderate Moderate Moderate Stakeholders Moderate Moderate Moderate Other Low Low Low Overall Substantial Moderate Moderate Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes To improve efficiency and accessibility of targeted justice institutions IN01308058 ►Compliance of select court facilities with EU standards for accessibility (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 90.00 Date 31-Oct-2017 15-Dec-2021 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 This ISR reports no change in the value of this indicator as compliance with EU standards for accessibility will be measured following the construction/rehabilitation of the select court sites. Three selected court sites have completed civil works to date (Prahova, Costesti, and Horezu) and two additional FIC (Carei Comments: and Targu Neamt) remain under construction. The approved designs for the works initiated under JSIP took the EU standards into consideration, so it is expected that this PDO indicator will be confirmed as achieved following the completion of works and the final site surveys. IN01308059 ►Percentage of courts equipped to deliver critical e-justice services (as defined by the MOJ) including the support for e-filing for litigants, lawyers and any other professionals (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 10/30/2023 Page 2 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Justice Services Improvement Project (P160751) Value 12.50 12.50 45.00 60.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 15-Dec-2021 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 IN01308060 ►Increase in the use of e-filing (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 21.00 21.00 100.00 90.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 15-Dec-2021 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 The PIU has reported that 100% of courts are using e-filing through infodosar.ro Comments: (http://infodosar.ro/instante_de_judecata.php). Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Improving Operation of Courts and Institutions under MoJ authority IN01308183 ►User perception of accessibility at select sites (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 46.00 46.00 46.00 85.00 Date 30-Aug-2019 16-Dec-2022 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 This indicator measures the perception of plaintiffs as to the level of accessibility of selected court facilities being rehabilitated under JSIP. The baseline/current values represent the perception at the time of the baseline survey (prior to the start of construction) with the end target to be recorded following the completion of construction and court hand-over. A final survey will be completed at Project closing to capture end values. Despite prolonged COVID-19 restrictions, JSIP continued to show progress in citizen engagement activities, including targeted actions in FY22. The PIU continued to gather public perceptions through citizen surveys, conducting a third, interim survey on public perception toward selected reforms. The survey report from May 2022 has been reviewed by MOJ management and shared with the Bank task team. The MOJ intends to publish this latest report on their website where previous survey reports are already publicly available. PIU management continued to consider survey results to address feedback in the design of upcoming project activities. This third survey complements previous perception surveys under the Project. In 2018-2019, the Project designed, contracted and completed the baseline public Comments: perception survey. This survey collected the perceptions of court users across the six courts selected for rehabilitation under JSIP. Feedback has been disaggregated to explain the differences in the ways the public access the courts compared with service providers (judges, clerks, prosecutors, lawyers) and tracks improvement in the perceptions of citizens and users regarding the accessibility of justice services as a result of project activities. The first survey from 2019 acts as a baseline, and the information has been used to inform the PIU and authorities at the MOJ about the public accessibility of court facilities as well as the most pressing issues pertaining to accessibility per group surveyed at each court site. A second survey was conducted in 2020-2021 and informed the Project restructuring, which was completed in 2021. The third survey was completed in Spring 2022 but the evaluation of the corresponding indicator is postponed until rehabilitation/construction of all six sites was completed. The PIU management is taking survey results into account in the implementation of future project activities, particularly the access to justice and citizen engagement activities. All survey reports have been shared within the Ministry and with the Bank task team, and the baseline survey results were also published online on the MOJ’s website to close the feedback loop with citizens. 10/30/2023 Page 3 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Justice Services Improvement Project (P160751) Throughout FY22, JSIP’s grievance redress mechanism (GRM) has remained available to receive feedback from citizens on any project impact as well as project affected persons. This GRM was also used for the Justice District Development Project PPA (P157654). Information on JSIP’s GRM is posted on the project’s web page and is also available on the sites for each sub project. The PIU has a focal point to ensure that the GRM is accessible and functional, and it is also supervised regularly by the PIU and the Bank during missions. To date, no grievances have been received regarding JSIP. The GRM is functioning well and has received inquiries from citizens in relation to the other Bank projects. The Bank team will continue to work closely with the PIU to ensure the GRM remains fully functional and that any feedback received is addressed in a timely manner. Since the project effectiveness, five rounds of public consultations have been held with local residents, including court users, court staff, local authorities, and residents/owners of surrounding buildings in the communities where courts are being rehabilitated and reconstructed. These consultations focus on mitigating social and environmental risks. IN01308188 ►Reliability of ICT environment to perform core functions in courts (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 7,249.00 7,249.00 591.00 3,625.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 16-Dec-2022 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 IN01308189 ►Number of courts with core network ports infrastructure (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 30.00 36.00 108.00 104.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 16-Dec-2022 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 IN01308190 ►Percentage of critical ICT equipment provided to Courts that are vendor supported (as a share of all critical equipment in courts) (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 44.00 62.00 56.00 90.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 16-Dec-2022 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 Updated to reflect correct baseline of 44%. Actual current value as reported by PIU is 56%. Comments: Enhancing the National Trade Registry Office performance IN01308184 ►Reliability of ICT environment to perform core functions in Trade Registries (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 265.00 265.00 3.00 133.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 15-Dec-2021 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 IN01308186 ►Percentage of critical ICT equipment provided to Trade Registries that are vendor supported (as a share of all critical equipment in trade registries) (Percentage, Custom) 10/30/2023 Page 4 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Justice Services Improvement Project (P160751) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 16.00 16.00 100.00 90.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 15-Dec-2021 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 Improving Prosecution Service Performance IN01308185 ►Reliability of ICT environment to perform core functions in prosecution offices (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 1,048.00 1,048.00 814.00 524.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 15-Dec-2021 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 IN01308187 ►Percentage of critical ICT equipment provided to prosecutor offices that are vendor supported (as a share of all critical equipment in prosecutor offices) (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 42.00 42.00 42.00 90.00 Date 02-Nov-2020 15-Dec-2021 15-Dec-2021 30-Nov-2025 The MOJ has requested and is awaiting updated data from the PM to report on this indicator. The current Comments: value will be updated in the next ISR to be filled following the next mission. Project Management IN01308181 ►Citizen awareness of select reforms (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 34.00 34.00 60.00 Date 31-Oct-2017 16-Dec-2022 16-Dec-2022 30-Nov-2025 In order to assess the general public’s perception towards selected reforms, a questionnaire focused on the public’s opinion with regards to the justice reforms and the level of access to relevant information, particularly by persons within vulnerable groups, was launched in 2019. Data gathered from the population in the six towns that were surveyed were extrapolated to the entire target population for each town (individuals aged 18 and above, who pertain to a vulnerable group: persons with disabilities, sexual minorities, members of single parent families, victims of crime, Roma, women). The baseline performance Comments: indicator will show the accessibility of information campaigns regarding the justice systems capturing differences according to FICs and vulnerable people. According to the third survey, 77% of respondents report not knowing of information campaigns delivered through brochures and leaflets. On the other hand, 34% of the public reports being aware of public campaigns on justice and 35% of open days in court. This indicator will be updated upon availability of the next survey results. Improving Access to Justice IN01308182 10/30/2023 Page 5 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Justice Services Improvement Project (P160751) ►Internal user satisfaction with selected electronic justice services (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Judge satisfaction: Judge satisfaction: 97% 98% Clerks satisfaction: Clerks satisfaction: Value Not measured TBD 94.9% 94% Lawyers' satisfaction: Lawyers' satisfaction: 76.5% 79% Date 02-Nov-2020 15-Dec-2021 19-Oct-2023 30-Nov-2025 Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P160751 IBRD-86950 Effective USD 66.99 66.99 0.00 48.40 18.62 72% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P160751 IBRD-86950 Effective 31-Jan-2017 27-Feb-2017 03-Aug-2017 31-Dec-2023 30-Nov-2025 Cumulative Disbursements 10/30/2023 Page 6 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Justice Services Improvement Project (P160751) Restructuring History Level 2 Approved on 21-Apr-2021 ,Level 2 Approved on 26-Jun-2023 Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 10/30/2023 Page 7 of 7