29 September 2022 | 17:00 (CET) | European Economic and Social Committee, Rue Belliard 99/101, 1000 Bruxelles

The number of “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Practice” (SLAPP) against journalists, civil society actors and other people active in the public sphere is on the rise in Europe. Resource-rich individuals, organisations and public authorities bring proceedings in relation to public participation that are fully or partially unfounded in order to silence their critics. These lawsuits restrict the liberty of speech and democracy in Europe. Fighting SLAPP is an important contribution to protecting European values and preserving European democracy.

The European Commission has adopted a recommendation and a legislative proposal for a directive to protect journalists, civil society actors and other people against SLAPP. This will enable judge to dismiss manifestly unfounded lawsuits, force plaintiffs to cover the costs for court proceeding and pay compensation for damages and foresees additional protective measures. While the Commission proposal is quite advanced, much will depend on Member States’ due implementation of the new provisions, once they are in force. The EESC’s opinion on the Commission proposal is currently under discussion.

Welcome

Anna ECHTERHOFF, Secretary-General of the Union of European Federalists
Tomasz WRÓBLEWSKI, EESC Rapporteur on the “Initiative against abusive litigation targeting journalists and rights defenders”, Adviser, Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers

Panellists

Sandro GOZI, Member of the European Parliament, President of the Union of European Federalists
Tomasz WRÓBLEWSKI, EESC Rapporteur on the “Initiative against abusive litigation targeting journalists and rights defenders”, Adviser, Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers
Christian MOOS, Secretary-General of Europa-Union Deutschland (German section of UEF) and EESC Co-Rapporteur on the “Initiative against abusive litigation targeting journalists and rights defenders”
Camille PETIT, Communications & Project Officer, European Federation of Journalists

Moderator

Julian PLOTTKA, University of Passau and University of Bonn