Contemporary society has been fairly named as society of information, which, through the World Wide Web, is continuously spread with extremely high speed, thus suppressing borders and distances. In the legal field, this phenomenon leads to the osmosis of similar legal orders, attaining thus significant importance within the European Union. Nowadays, electronic information and communication constitute an undoubted reality. The science of Informatics influences almost all human activities, whatever sector those may be developed in, while the use of Informatics and that of new technologies contribute substantially to the function of democratic institutions.

The main objectives of this portal are: a) to inform the public about the history of the institution of the Council of State and the way it operates, b) to facilitate the lawyer as well as every other person, who is interested in having access to the case law of the Court and carrying out research about it, c) to inform litigants about pending cases.

I certainly hope that this portal will contribute to an understanding of the fundamental role of the Council of State and its relationship with the function of the democratic regime. Moreover, it will constitute a useful tool for everyone seeking information on the case law of the Court as well as regarding the precise and quick dispensation of administrative justice and the operation of the administration, according to the principle of loyalty.

Finally, I would like to thank all judges and judicial officials of the Council of State, either on active service or retired, who have contributed to the incorporation of these new technologies into the infrastructure of the Court.

Athens, March 2007
Georgios Panagiotopoulos