European Commission Presents Data on Seven Infringement Procedures Against Bulgaria.

The European Commission has launched infringement proceedings against Bulgaria and 13 other EU member states for failing to notify the full transposition of the EU's anti-SLAPP directive, which is designed to protect public participation from abusive lawsuits.

The countries concerned are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia.

The directive provides safeguards against manifestly unfounded claims and abusive court proceedings by allowing courts to dismiss such cases at an early stage. According to the European Commission, these lawsuits misuse legal proceedings to silence activities carried out in the public interest. Journalists, human rights defenders and civil society organizations are among the groups protected.

SLAPP lawsuits are abusive legal actions typically filed by powerful individuals or companies to intimidate, financially exhaust and silence journalists, human rights defenders and civil society groups. The new directive also provides compensation for victims of such lawsuits.

The European Commission has also opened separate infringement procedures against Bulgaria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania and Sweden for failing to fully implement EU rules on inspections of vehicles transporting dangerous goods. Member states had until June 23 to transpose the rules into national legislation and now have two months to respond before the procedures may advance.

A third infringement procedure has been launched against Bulgaria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Spain, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Austria, Slovenia and Sweden for failing to fully transpose EU rules governing reception conditions for applicants seeking international protection.