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European Parliament, Council reach agreement on anti-SLAPP directive
The new law will seek to protect individuals working on matters of public interest, such as basic rights, actions of public officials, or allegations of corruption
30 November 2023, 3:15pm
Matthew Farrugia
Matthew Farrugia
1 min read
The European Commission had proposed legislation to prevent and penalise SLAPP lawsuits meant to threaten and harass journalists and human rights activists
Early on Thursday morning, an agreement was reached between the European Parliament and the European Council on a robust new anti-SLAPP regulation.
This regulation aims to shield activists, journalists, and human rights advocates from intimidating lawsuits designed to silence them, and the directive has been named after murdered journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia. The directive was overwhelmingly approved by MEPs last summer.
The new law seeks to protect individuals working on matters of public interest, such as basic rights, actions of public officials, or allegations of corruption. The regulations will be applicable in cross-border proceedings when the claimant, defendant, and court are not located in the same nation.
The intent is to prevent legal actions that aim to intimidate opponents into silence through the threat of severe legal consequences. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that the deal would "protect those who try to reveal inconvenient truths."
Later on Thursday, the European Commission expressed its satisfaction with the provisional agreement. The Commission noted that the directive marks the first binding European legal instrument targeting SLAPP, offering protection to journalists and civil society organizations among other parties.
The EU body stated that this significant step comes in response to the advocacy of civil society, particularly following the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The directive is poised to be a crucial tool in preventing the abuse of legal actions to stifle public participation and free expression.
This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament's grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by the information or opinions expressed in the context of this action. In accordance with applicable law, the authors, interviewed people, publishers or programme broadcasters are solely responsible. The European Parliament can also not be held liable for direct or indirect damage that may result from the implementation of the action.
Matthew Farrugia is a staff reporter at MaltaToday
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