The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) together with the Council of Europe are co-organising the second European Anti-SLAPP Conference, to be held on 14 November 2024 in the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

SLAPPs are legal actions that are threatened, initiated, or pursued to harass or intimidate their target, aiming to prevent, restrict, or penalise free expression on matters of public interest and the exercise of rights associated with public participation”. SLAPPs undermine the right to freedom of expression and create obstacles for the free exchange of ideas and information essential in a pluralistic society. In the last half-decade, civil society organisations have documented hundreds of SLAPP cases across Europe and have successfully mobilised European institutions to react to SLAPPs.

In 2024, Europe will have its first set of standards on countering SLAPPs introduced by various legal instruments, such as the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to the member States on Countering the Use of Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation, as well as the EU package protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings.

The aim of the conference is to promote and introduce the newly adopted legal instruments to the wider public, highlighting legislative and policy frameworks, as well as other governmental initiatives that will assist with the implementation and transposition of such standards at the national level. In addition, the conference will bring testimonies from SLAPP targets and victims and will feature the work of CASE and other civil society organisations across Europe on combating SLAPPs.

The conference will bring together high-level representatives of the Council of Europe, the European Union, the European Parliament, CASE coalition members, SLAPP victims, experts, journalists, media professionals, lawyers, policymakers, free speech advocates, academics, ombudspersons, judges, and civil society representatives.

The conference will be organised as a hybrid event. Information about registration and the agenda will be made available soon. For all the latest updates, subscribe to our conference newsletter, visit the conference website, or keep an eye on CASE, ECPMF and Council of Europe X accounts.

In the meantime, we encourage you to save the date. We are looking forward to seeing you at the Second European Anti-SLAPP Conference.

Date: 14 November 2024

Location: Strasbourg