EU announces plans to protect journalists from vexatious lawsuits

Anti-Slapp directive would also enable EU states to refuse to recognise judgments passed in UK

The EU executive has proposed measures to protect journalists and campaigners working to expose corruption and wrongdoing from vexatious lawsuits.

In the first proposal of its kind in Europe, the European Commission is targeting so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation", or Slapps, where wealthy individuals and companies attempt to use the law to intimidate or silence investigative reporters and non-governmental organisations.