Activities of Katarina BARLEY related to 2022/0117(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Protection of journalists and human rights defenders from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings (debate)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings (“Strategic lawsuits against public participation”)
Amendments (43)
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Article 10(3) of the Treaty on European Union states that every Union citizen has the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’) provides, inter alia, for the rights to respect for private and family life (Article 7), the protection of personal data (Article 8), freedom of expression and information, which includes respect for the freedom and pluralism of the media (Article 11), freedom of assembly and of association (Article 12), freedom of the arts and sciences (Article 13), and to an effective remedy and to a fair trial (Article 47).
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The purpose of this Directive is to provide protection to natural and legal persons who engageing in public participation on matters of public interest, in particular journalists, media organizations, and human rights defenders, against court proceedingincluding civil society, non-governmental organisations and trade unions, as well as researchers, academics or artists and whistleblowers, against lawsuits, which are initiated against them, as well as the threats thereof, to deter them from public participation (commonly referred to as strategic lawsuits against public participation or ‘SLAPPs’).
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Investigative journalists and media organisations in particular play a key role in combating organised crime, corruption and extremism. Their work carries particularly high risks and they are experiencing a growing number of attacks and harassment. A robust system of safeguards is needed to enable them to fulfil their crucial role as watchdogs on matters of legitimate public interest.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Human rights defenders also play an important role in European democracies, especially in upholding fundamental rights, democratic values, social inclusion, environmental protection and the rule of law. They should be able to participate actively in public life and make their voice heard on policy matters and in decision-making processes without fear of intimidation. Human rights defenders refers to individuals, groups, or organisations engaged in defending fundamental rights and a variety of other rights, such as civil, political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and climate rights, women’s rights, LGBTIQ rights, the rights of the people with a minority racial or ethnic background, labour rights, trade union rights, or religious freedoms. Other participants in public debate, such as academics and researchers, also deserve adequate protection.
Amendment 70 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) Other participants in public debate, such as academics and researchers as well as individual persons, such as artists and whistleblower, also deserve adequate protection, since they are also targeted by SLAPPs.
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) To foster this environment, it is important to protect journalists and human rights defenders from court proceedingnatural and legal persons engaging in public participation from lawsuits against public participation. Such court proceedings are not initiated for the purpose of access to justice, but to silence public debate typically using harassment and intimidation.
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Court proceedingLawsuits against public participation may have an adverse impact on the credibility and reputation of journalists and human rights defenders andnatural and legal persons engaging in public participation. The negatively affect their credibility and reputation, exhaust their financial and other resources, as well as cause them psychological harm. Because of such proceedinglawsuits, the publication of information on a matter of public interest may be delayed or altogether avoided. The length of procedures and the financial pressure may have a chilling effect on jonaturnalists and human rights defenderslegal persons engaging in public participation. The existence of such practices may therefore have a deterrent effect on their work by contributing to self-censorship in anticipation of possible future court proceedings, which leads to the impoverishment of public debate to the detriment of society as a whole.
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Those targeted by court proceedinglawsuits against public participation may face multiple cases simultaneously, sometimes initiated in several jurisdictions. Proceedings initiated in the jurisdiction of one Member State against a person resident in another Member State are usually more complex and costly for the defendant. Claimants in court proceedinglawsuits against public participation may also use procedural tools to drive up the length and cost of the litigation, and bring cases in a jurisdiction they perceive to be favourable for their case, rather than to the court best placed to hear the claim. Such practices also place unnecessary and harmful burdens on national court systems and lead to a misuse of their resources.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The safeguards provided in this Directive should apply to any natural or legal person on account of their direct or indirect engagement in public participation. They should also protect natural or legal persons who, either on a professional or on a personal basis, support, assist or provide goods or services to another person for purposes directly linked to public participation on a matter of public interest. This involves for example internet providers, publishing houses or print shops, which face or are threatened with court proceedings for providing services to the person targeted with court proceedings.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13a) This Directive also aims at discouraging pre-trail procedures, such as warning letters and cease-and-desist declarations, that are used to silence natural and legal persons engaging in public participation. By giving natural and legal persons engaging in public participation the tools to fight such claims in court effectively, the Directive also helps to prevent such intimidation tactics.
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) This Directive should apply to any type of legal claim or action of a civil or commercial nature with cross-border implications whatever the nature of the court or tribunal. This includes civil claims brought in criminal proceedinglaims in expedite procedures, such as injunctions. It also includes civil claims brought in criminal proceedings, as they are in essence civil, not criminal claims. It also includes interim and precautionary measures, counteractions or other particular type of remedies available under other instruments.
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Public participation should mean any statement or activity by a natural or legal person expressed or carried out in exercise of the right to freedom of expression and information on a matter of current or future public interest, such as the creation, exhibition, advertisement or other promotion of journalistic, political, scientific, academic, artistic, commentary or satirical communications, publications or works, and any preparatory activities directly linked thereto. ItFuture public interest refers to the fact that a matter may not yet be of public interest, but may become so once the public becomes aware of it for example through a publication or individual complaint. Public participation can also include activities related to the exercise of the right to academic freedom, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, such as the organisation of or participation to lobbying activities, demonstrations and protests or activities resulting from the exercise of the right to good administration and the right to an effective remedy, such as the filing of complaints, petitions, administrative and judicial claims and participation in public hearings. Public participation should also include preparatory, supporting or assisting activities that have a direct and inherent link to the statement or activity in question and that are targeted to stifle public participation. In addition, it can cover other activities meant to inform or influence public opinion or to further action by the public, including activities by any private or public entity in relation to an issue of public interest, such as the organisation of or participation to research, surveys, campaigns or any other collective actions.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) Public participation should also include preparatory, supporting or assisting activities that have a direct and inherent link to the statement or activity in question. Such activities should directly concern a specific act of public participation or be based on a contractual link between the actual target of SLAPP and the person providing the preparatory, supporting or assisting activity. Bringing claims not against a journalist or a human rights defender, but against the media organization, e.g. internet platform on which they publish their work or against the company printing a text or a shop selling the text, can be an effective way of silencing public participation, as without such services opinions cannot be published and thus cannot influence public debate.
Amendment 104 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) The notion of a matter of public interest should include also quality, safety or other relevant aspects of goods, products or services, including the conditions under which these are produced, where such matters are relevant to public health, safety, the environment, climate or enjoyment of fundamental rights. A purely individual dispute between a consumer and a manufacturer or a service provider concerning a good, product or service should be covered only when the matter contains an element of public interest, for instance concerning a product or service which fails to comply with environmental or safety standards, labour rights, consumer rights or human rights, including the principle of non- discrimination.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) Abusive court proceedings typically involve litigation tactics used in bad faith such as delaying proceedings, causing disproportionate costs to the defendant in the proceedings or forum shoppinglawsuits are characterized by their main purpose to prevent, restrict or penalize public participation or aim to achieve a chilling effect on public participation in the matter at stake; they thus constitute an abuse of substantive or procedural laws. It is a general principle of law, which rights may not be exercised in an abusive way; established i.e. in Article 54 Charter and Article 17 ECHR. The abusive nature of a lawsuit is to be deducted from a totality of the circumstance of the lawsuit. Abusive lawsuits typically involve litigation tactics such as exaggerated or excessive claims, requesting obviously disproportionate prior restraint measures, delaying proceedings, initiating multiple proceedings on similar matters, causing disproportionate costs to the defendant in the proceedings or forum shopping. The extent to which a lawsuit is manifestly unfounded is another indicator for its abusiveness. The past conduct of the claimant and, in particular, any history of legal intimidation should also be considered when determining whether the lawsuits are abusive in nature. A previous early dismissal of a similar claim as abusive should be a prima facie indictor for abusiveness. These tactics are used by the claimant for other purposes than gaining access to justice. Such tactics are often, although not always, combined with various forms of intimidation, harassment or threats.
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20 a (new)
Recital 20 a (new)
(20a) Lawsuits under this Directive entail all proceedings before a court or tribunal in civil matters, including injunctions.
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) Defendants should be able to apply for the following procedural safeguards: a request for a security to cover procedural costs, or procedural costs and damages, a request for an early dismissal of manifestly unfounded court proceedingabusive lawsuits, a request for remedies against abusive court proceedinglawsuits (award of costs, compensation of damages and penalties), or all of them at the same time.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 25 a (new)
Recital 25 a (new)
(25a) Proceedings against public participation exposes those targeted to high financial and psychological harm, while confronting them with the need to establish often hard to prove facts like the abusive nature of a lawsuit. In such situation, the defendants should have the right to avail himself of all support necessary to alleviate his burden and make his case. This includes, but is not limited to, the support and providing of information. The defendant should have the right to seek such support from any natural or legal person with a legitimate interest or expertise in safeguarding or promoting the rights of persons engaging in public participation. This encompasses i.e. journalists and academics as well as non-governmental organisations, professional and representative associations, trade unions and other collective bodies acting in the interest of the defendant or with particular knowledge of the claimant, particularly his engagement against public participation.
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) If a defendant has applied for early dismissal, it should be for the claimant in the main proceedings to prove in the accelerated procedure that the claim is not manifestly unfoundedabusive. This does not represent a limitation of access to justice, taking into account that the claimant carries the burden of proof in relation todefendant has to prove that the claim in the main proceedings and only needs to meet the much lower threshold of showing that the claim is not manifestly unfounded in order to avoid an early dismissalconcerns public participation and show a prima facie case for abusiveness.
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 36 a (new)
Recital 36 a (new)
(36a) This directive is not intended to solve all SLAPPs being deployed against persons engaging in public participation. Particular focus should be drawn in the future to the abuse of the criminal law system as well as the administrative law system. In particular, the offence of defamation posed particular dangers of being misused as basis for SLAPPs. The Commission and Member States should work on solutions to address these dangers.
Amendment 151 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
This Directive provides safeguards against manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedingabusive lawsuits in civil matters with cross- border implications brought against natural and legal persons, in particular journalists and human rights defenders, on account of their engagement in public participation.
Amendment 157 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1
1. ‘public participation’ means any statement or activity by a natural or legal person expressed or carried out in the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and information, academic freedom, freedom of the press, freedom of association and assembly, the right of collective bargaining and action on a matter of public interest, and. It includes any preparatory, supporting or assisting action directly linked thereto. Thi, in particular the work of media organizations. Covered activities includes complaints, petitions, administrative or judicial claims and participation in public hearings;
Amendment 162 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
(a) fundamental and human rights, public health, safety, the environment, or the climate or enjoyment of fundamental rights;
Amendment 165 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point c
(c) matters under public consideration or reviewunder consideration by a legislative, executive, or judicial body, or any other public official proceedings as well as actions or inactions by government bodies;
Amendment 168 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point d
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point d
(d) allegations of corruption, fraud or criminalityembezzlement as well as sexual harassment and gender based violence or any other criminal or administrative offence;
Amendment 179 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – introductory part
3. ‘abusive court proceedinglawsuits against public participation’ mean court proceedings brought in relation to public participation that are fully or partially unfounded and have as their main purpose to prevent, restrict or penalize public participation. Indications of such a purpose can be:
Amendment 183 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point b
(b) the existence of multiple ongoing or previous proceedings initiated by the claimant or associated parties in relation to similar mattersmatters of public participation;
Amendment 185 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point c
(c) intimidation, harassment or threats on the part of the claimant or his or her representatives.;
Amendment 186 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point c a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point c a (new)
(ca) the use of litigation tactics that inflict unreasonable costs on the defendant, including by the choice of jurisdiction or deployment of dilatory motions;
Amendment 192 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point c b (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point c b (new)
(cb) a previous early dismissal of a similar claim as abusive.
Amendment 196 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Member States shall ensure that when court proceedinglawsuits are brought against natural or legal persons on account of their engagement in public participation, those persons can apply for:
Amendment 199 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) early dismissal of manifestly unfounded court proceedingsuch lawsuits in accordance with Chapter III;
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) remedies against abusive court proceedingsuch lawsuits in accordance with Chapter IV.
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Member States mayshall provide that measures on procedural safeguards in accordance with Chapters III and IV can be taken by the court or tribunal seised of the matter ex officio. Member States shall ensure, that the court or tribunal seized of the matter must take measures under Article 8, 14 and 15 ex officio.
Amendment 206 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – title
Article 7 – title
Amendment 209 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that a court or tribunal seised of court proceedings against public participation may accept that non- governmental organisationsthe person engaged in public participation has the right to have, subject to her or his approval, any natural or legal person with a legitimate interest or expertise in safeguarding or promoting the rights of persons engaging in public participation may take part in thoseany proceedings, either in support of the defendant covered under this directive, either in support of the person engaged in public participation or to provide information.
Amendment 213 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 a (new)
Article 7 a (new)
Article 7a Third party representation Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that in any proceedings covered under this directive the defendant has the right to have, subject to her or his request, a body, organisation or association act on her or his behalf.
Amendment 217 #
Proposal for a directive
Chapter III – title
Chapter III – title
Amendment 219 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall empower courts and tribunals to adopt an early decision to dismiss, in full or in part, court proceedinglawsuits against public participation as manifestly unfoundedabusive as defined in Article 3 para. 3.
Amendment 223 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. Member States may establish time limits for the exercise of the right to file an application for early dismissal. The time limits shall be proportionate and not render such exercise impossible or excessively difficultThe defendant can move for early dismissal at any stage of the proceedings.
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Member States shall ensure that where a defendant has applied for early dismissal, it shall be for the claimant to prove that the claimwsuit is not manifestly unfoundedabusive.
Amendment 245 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 20 – paragraph 1
Article 20 – paragraph 1
Member States shall provide the Commission with all relevant information regarding the application of this Directive by [53 years from the date of transposition] and thereafter on an annual basis. On the basis of the information provided, the Commission shall by [64 years from the date of transposition] at the latest, submit to the European Parliament and the Council an annual report on the application of this Directive. The report shall provide an assessment of the evolution of abusive court proceedinglawsuits against public participation and the impact of this Directive in the Member States. If necessary, the report shall be accompanied by proposals to amend this Directive. Those reports shall be made public.
Amendment 248 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 20 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 20 – paragraph 1 a (new)
The Commission shall, based on the application of this Directive on SLAPPs in civil claims brought in criminal proceedings and based on other available information, assess if further action against SLAPPs in criminal proceedings is necessary.