Kiri

Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË – Tel. +32 22991111

EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR JUSTICE AND CONSUMERS

The Director-General

Brussels JUST.C.4/FD/ms (2026)2613149s

Permanent Representation

Subject: Appointment of focal point and alternate focal point for the new mandate

of the Expert Group Against SLAPP

Dear Ambassador,

As referred to in the Joint Communication from the Commission and the High

Representative on the European Democracy Shield,1 a cornerstone of healthy and thriving

democracies is a pluralistic debate. Citizens must have access to reliable information and

be able to form their own judgements in a public space where diverse views can be

expressed. Journalists and human rights defenders play a crucial role in nurturing this

public debate, including by investigating and informing citizens on issues of public

interest.

The Commission adopted the Anti-SLAPP initiative on 27 April 2022, consisting in a

Directive2 (in force since 6 May 2024, hereafter “Anti-SLAPP Directive”) and a

Recommendation3 (hereafter: “the Recommendation”). The latter, amongst others,

recommends that Member State establish one national focal point that gathers and shares

information on available resources to assist the targets of manifestly unfounded or abusive

court proceedings against public participation.

The Commission's 2025 Rule of Law Report4 notes that EU legislation and the

Recommendation on SLAPP have helped stimulate further steps in national legislation. On

(1) JOIN(2025) 791 final of 12.11.2025.

(2) Directive (EU) 2024/1069 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on protecting

persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court

proceedings (‘Strategic lawsuits against public participation’) OJ L, 2024/1069, 16.4.2024, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1069/oj

(3) Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/758 of 27 April 2022 on protecting journalists and human

rights defenders who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court

proceedings (‘Strategic lawsuits against public participation’), OJ L 138, 17.5.2022, pp. 30–44, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2022/758/oj.

(4) COM(2025) 900 final of 8.7.2025.

2

the other hand, reform processes are pending in some Member States, in spite of concerns

about journalist’s safety and their working conditions.

As announced in the Communication on the “European Democracy Shield”, Commission’s

Directorate-General Justice and Consumers (‘DG JUST’) has taken the initiative to renew

the mandate of the informal Commission expert group on SLAPPs, in place since 2022.

This renewed group, which is expected to operate for an indefinite period, shall support

the Commission in monitoring the follow-up to the Recommendation and in its review

process.

The mission of the expert group is to:

(1) advise DG JUST in the context of the implementation of the Directive on

SLAPP and the follow-up to the SLAPP Recommendation,

(2) provide DG JUST with a single point of contact to consult legal practitioners

and civil society organisations on SLAPP-related issues,

(3) exchange on activities and best practices between Member States,

(4) advise DG JUST on guidelines and measures to support victims of SLAPP and

create synergies between the relevant activities of civil society organisations,

professional organisation and Member States,

(5) provide legal practitioners and practitioners’ associations with a forum to

engage at the EU level, including on cross-border cases to encourage the

development of their supporting mechanisms for victims of SLAPP.

The composition of the expert group will include individuals appointed in a personal

capacity (i.e. practitioners in law, journalists, or academics); individuals appointed to

represent a common interest shared by civil society organisations operating in any area of

representation and legal support of journalists or other actors involved in the defence of

public interest and professional organisations representing the interests of media

professionals and legal professionals.

In addition to the above, Member States’ competent authorities are invited to nominate

one permanent focal point as their representative and one alternate focal point.

The deadline for communicating these appointments is 30 March 2026.

We kindly invite you to send your reply to: JUST-ANTI-SLAPP-EXPERT-

[email protected].

Should your authorities need any additional information, including details that may further

support the nomination process, you could ask questions via the same mailbox (contact

person: Marie-Hélène Boulanger, Head of Unit JUST C4).

Looking forward to your active participation in the expert group, the Commission stands

available to answer any of your questions and queries.

Yours sincerely,

3

Ana GALLEGO

Electronically signed on 10/03/2026 11:13 (UTC+01) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË – Tel. +32 22991111

EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR JUSTICE AND CONSUMERS

The Director-General

Brussels JUST.C.4/FD/ms (2026)2613149s

Permanent Representation

Subject: Appointment of focal point and alternate focal point for the new mandate

of the Expert Group Against SLAPP

Dear Ambassador,

As referred to in the Joint Communication from the Commission and the High

Representative on the European Democracy Shield,1 a cornerstone of healthy and thriving

democracies is a pluralistic debate. Citizens must have access to reliable information and

be able to form their own judgements in a public space where diverse views can be

expressed. Journalists and human rights defenders play a crucial role in nurturing this

public debate, including by investigating and informing citizens on issues of public

interest.

The Commission adopted the Anti-SLAPP initiative on 27 April 2022, consisting in a

Directive2 (in force since 6 May 2024, hereafter “Anti-SLAPP Directive”) and a

Recommendation3 (hereafter: “the Recommendation”). The latter, amongst others,

recommends that Member State establish one national focal point that gathers and shares

information on available resources to assist the targets of manifestly unfounded or abusive

court proceedings against public participation.

The Commission's 2025 Rule of Law Report4 notes that EU legislation and the

Recommendation on SLAPP have helped stimulate further steps in national legislation. On

(1) JOIN(2025) 791 final of 12.11.2025.

(2) Directive (EU) 2024/1069 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on protecting

persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court

proceedings (‘Strategic lawsuits against public participation’) OJ L, 2024/1069, 16.4.2024, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1069/oj

(3) Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/758 of 27 April 2022 on protecting journalists and human

rights defenders who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court

proceedings (‘Strategic lawsuits against public participation’), OJ L 138, 17.5.2022, pp. 30–44, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2022/758/oj.

(4) COM(2025) 900 final of 8.7.2025.

2

the other hand, reform processes are pending in some Member States, in spite of concerns

about journalist’s safety and their working conditions.

As announced in the Communication on the “European Democracy Shield”, Commission’s

Directorate-General Justice and Consumers (‘DG JUST’) has taken the initiative to renew

the mandate of the informal Commission expert group on SLAPPs, in place since 2022.

This renewed group, which is expected to operate for an indefinite period, shall support

the Commission in monitoring the follow-up to the Recommendation and in its review

process.

The mission of the expert group is to:

(1) advise DG JUST in the context of the implementation of the Directive on

SLAPP and the follow-up to the SLAPP Recommendation,

(2) provide DG JUST with a single point of contact to consult legal practitioners

and civil society organisations on SLAPP-related issues,

(3) exchange on activities and best practices between Member States,

(4) advise DG JUST on guidelines and measures to support victims of SLAPP and

create synergies between the relevant activities of civil society organisations,

professional organisation and Member States,

(5) provide legal practitioners and practitioners’ associations with a forum to

engage at the EU level, including on cross-border cases to encourage the

development of their supporting mechanisms for victims of SLAPP.

The composition of the expert group will include individuals appointed in a personal

capacity (i.e. practitioners in law, journalists, or academics); individuals appointed to

represent a common interest shared by civil society organisations operating in any area of

representation and legal support of journalists or other actors involved in the defence of

public interest and professional organisations representing the interests of media

professionals and legal professionals.

In addition to the above, Member States’ competent authorities are invited to nominate

one permanent focal point as their representative and one alternate focal point.

The deadline for communicating these appointments is 30 March 2026.

We kindly invite you to send your reply to: JUST-ANTI-SLAPP-EXPERT-

[email protected].

Should your authorities need any additional information, including details that may further

support the nomination process, you could ask questions via the same mailbox (contact

person: Marie-Hélène Boulanger, Head of Unit JUST C4).

Looking forward to your active participation in the expert group, the Commission stands

available to answer any of your questions and queries.

Yours sincerely,

3

Ana GALLEGO

Electronically signed on 10/03/2026 11:13 (UTC+01) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121