DG JUST

🎯 Mandate

DG JUST (Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers) safeguards the rule of law, judicial cooperation, and fundamental rights. It leads the EU’s Anti-SLAPP Directive, the Rule of Law Mechanism, and contributes to horizontal measures protecting journalists and human-rights defenders. Its mandate situates media freedom squarely within the EU’s legal and rights architecture—ensuring that freedom of expression and accountability journalism are protected through law, not left to market dynamics.

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⚖️ Opportunities and Challenges

Opportunities:

• Rule of Law as a Media Framework – DG JUST can embed press freedom indicators into the annual Rule of Law Report and Member-State scorecards, making information integrity a measurable aspect of democratic governance.

• Implementation of Anti-SLAPP Directive – Ensuring that national transpositions provide legal aid and rapid redress for journalists will strengthen the EU’s defence against legal intimidation.

• Synergy with DG CONNECT and SG – Coordinated follow-up between legal and digital DGs can align EMFA and Anti-SLAPP enforcement, closing gaps between regulatory and judicial protection.

• Judicial Training and Networks – JUST can support training for judges and prosecutors on freedom-of-expression standards and digital-era jurisprudence.

• Cross-Border Cooperation – By linking with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and Europol, DG JUST can help protect journalists investigating corruption and financial crime.

Challenges:

• Fragmented Implementation – National justice systems vary widely in capacity and political will to enforce EU standards.

• Resource Constraints – Limited funding and staff for rights-related programmes risk slowing enforcement.

• SLAPP Awareness – Many journalists and small outlets remain unaware of available legal protections.

• Overlap with Other DGs – Without structured coordination, Anti-SLAPP and EMFA implementation can diverge, diluting impact.

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🧭 Strategic Priorities for DG JUST

Area	Action	OECD Principle Link
Legal Protection	Ensure robust Anti-SLAPP enforcement with dedicated legal-aid mechanisms and national focal points.	1️⃣ Do No Harm
Mainstreaming	Include press-freedom and information-integrity indicators in annual country assessments.	3️⃣ Whole-of-System Approach
Access to Justice	Fund rapid-response legal defence and pro-bono networks for journalists and media outlets.	2️⃣ Increase Funding
Coordination with DG CONNECT	Align Anti-SLAPP and EMFA enforcement; create joint monitoring dashboards.	5️⃣ Coordination of Support
Knowledge & Learning	Support comparative research on SLAPP trends, judicial outcomes, and media-law harmonisation.	6️⃣ Invest in Knowledge

Field Voice

“We’ve made progress on Anti-SLAPP, but the challenge now is implementation. The Directive is only as strong as the enforcement and funding behind it.” — DG JUST legal officer, consultation 2025