The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) adopted on Tuesday 23 May its opinion on the future directive to combat SLAPP proceedings (‘anti-SLAPPs’) with 51 votes in favour, 5 against and 4 abstentions. While there were 216 amendments to the draft opinion, summarised in 24 compromise amendments (all of which were adopted), on the whole MEPs supported the general approach of the original text.
Ramona Strugariu (Renew Europe, Romanian), rapporteur, proposed in particular to extend the early rejection mechanism to all types of complaints, abandoning the distinction between manifestly unfounded and abusive cases. She also proposed broadening the scope of the Directive to include activities carried out in exercise of rights additional to freedom of expression (see EUROPE 13147/18).
While the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), which is responsible for the dossier, has yet to give its opinion, the European Parliament’s final position is expected to be put to the vote at the July plenary session. On the EU Council side, a political agreement will be discussed on Wednesday by the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (see EUROPE 13185/15).
See the draft opinion: https://aeur.eu/f/5xr
The amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/70i
The compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/70h (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)