25/01/2024 (Agence Europe) – MEPs in the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs endorsed, on Wednesday 24 January, the provisional political agreement reached by EU Council and Parliament negotiators on 30 November on the directive to combat SLAPPs (19 votes in favour, none against, four abstentions – see EUROPE 13304/5). The text will be put to the vote at the European Parliament’s second plenary session in February (26th to the 29th). “The anti-SLAPPs directive is a step towards putting an end to the widespread practice of abusive prosecutions aimed at silencing journalists, NGOs and civil society”, commented the dossier’s rapporteur, Tiemo Wölken (S&D, German), while the directive includes a set of rules aimed at protecting journalists and providing them with financial assistance, as well as legal aid. To see the text: https://aeur.eu/f/aku (TM)