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Procedure

Strengthening Democracy and Media Freedom and Pluralism in the EU: the undue use of actions under civil and criminal law to silence journalists, NGOs and civil society

2021/2036(INI)·9th term·CULT / JURI / LIBE·INI - Own-initiative procedure·CompletedProcedure completed
Subjects: Fundamental rights in the EU, Charter · Press, media freedom and pluralism · Fundamental freedoms, human rights, democracy in general
Rapporteurs (the Member appointed to lead Parliament's work on this text): METSOLA Roberta (EPP), WÖLKEN Tiemo (S&D)
Summary

This own-initiative report addresses strengthening democracy and media freedom and pluralism in the EU, including the undue use of civil and criminal actions to silence journalists, NGOs and civil society. The amendments stress media independence and pluralism and concern over political interference, and repeatedly call for a directive against strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) to protect journalists and whistleblowers, with references to monitoring under the Rule of Law report.

Procedure timeline

  1. Committee amendments tabled
    29 Jun 2021 – 6 Sep 2021
  2. Plenary vote — Passed
    11 Nov 2021 · On the motion for a resolution — the text as a whole
  3. Procedure completed
599
Amendments
distinct, in window
68
Members
tabled at least one
3
Committee(s)
29 Jun 2021 – 6 Sep 2021
Dates

Plenary votes

28 roll-call votes

In plenary, Parliament usually votes in steps: first on amendments to the text (sometimes split into parts, so Members can accept one half of a sentence and reject the other), then on the text as a whole. The “main vote” is the one that adopts or rejects the text itself. Each vote below shows exactly which step it was. How voting works →

  1. Show the 25 earlier votes
    1. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 1 (part 1 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 1/1 · what was voted ↗
      536 for5 against23 abstentions141 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    2. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 1 (part 2 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 1/2 · what was voted ↗
      444 for108 against10 abstentions143 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    3. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 11 (part 1 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 11/1 · what was voted ↗
      502 for27 against37 abstentions139 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    4. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 11 (part 2 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 11/2 · what was voted ↗
      461 for99 against8 abstentions137 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    5. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 17 (part 1 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 17/1 · what was voted ↗
      494 for14 against60 abstentions137 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    6. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 17 (part 2 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 17/2 · what was voted ↗
      446 for106 against12 abstentions141 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    7. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 23 (part 1 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 23/1 · what was voted ↗
      511 for30 against15 abstentions149 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    8. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 23 (part 2 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 23/2 · what was voted ↗
      443 for111 against10 abstentions141 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    9. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 25
      Official label: § 25 · what was voted ↗
      446 for89 against30 abstentions140 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    10. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 28
      Official label: § 28 · what was voted ↗
      441 for114 against6 abstentions144 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    11. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 35 (part 1 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 35/1 · what was voted ↗
      447 for114 against9 abstentions135 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    12. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 35 (part 2 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 35/2 · what was voted ↗
      513 for32 against18 abstentions142 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    13. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 35 (part 3 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 35/3 · what was voted ↗
      445 for114 against13 abstentions133 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    14. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 36 (part 1 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 36/1 · what was voted ↗
      445 for116 against8 abstentions136 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    15. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 36 (part 2 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 36/2 · what was voted ↗
      555 for3 against5 abstentions142 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    16. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 37 (part 1 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 37/1 · what was voted ↗
      535 for17 against19 abstentions134 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    17. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 37 (part 2 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 37/2 · what was voted ↗
      444 for114 against11 abstentions136 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    18. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 39 (part 1 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 39/1 · what was voted ↗
      522 for2 against48 abstentions133 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    19. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 39 (part 2 of a split vote)
      Official label: § 39/2 · what was voted ↗
      443 for115 against12 abstentions135 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    20. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On citation 37
      Official label: Visa 37 · what was voted ↗
      448 for109 against14 abstentions134 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    21. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On citation 41
      Official label: Visa 41 · what was voted ↗
      445 for107 against15 abstentions138 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    22. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On citation 46
      Official label: Visa 46 · what was voted ↗
      446 for112 against10 abstentions137 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    23. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On citation 51
      Official label: Visa 51 · what was voted ↗
      446 for114 against10 abstentions135 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    24. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 3 — the annex
      Official label: Annexe, § 3 · what was voted ↗
      442 for112 against5 abstentions146 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

    25. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
      On paragraph 4 — the annex
      Official label: Annexe, § 4 · what was voted ↗
      438 for103 against6 abstentions158 did not vote
      For
      Against
      Abst.

      Click a group to see each Member’s position.

  2. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
    On recital J
    Official label: Considérant J/1 · what was voted ↗
    556 for11 against1 abstentions137 did not vote
    For
    Against
    Abst.

    Click a group to see each Member’s position.

  3. 11 Nov 2021Passedoutcome from totals
    On recital J
    Official label: Considérant J/2 · what was voted ↗
    451 for66 against44 abstentions144 did not vote
    For
    Against
    Abst.

    Click a group to see each Member’s position.

  4. 11 Nov 2021Main votePassedoutcome from totals
    On the motion for a resolution — the text as a whole
    Official label: Proposition de résolution (ensemble du texte) · what was voted ↗
    444 for48 against75 abstentions138 did not vote
    For
    Against
    Abst.

    Click a group to see each Member’s position.

Vote data: HowTheyVote.eu (ODbL, attribution) / European Parliament · roll-call votes only

Official amendment documents

PE695.083 ↗PE695.299 ↗PE695.300 ↗

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Full record

Members who amended this procedure

68 Members · by amendment count
1🇪🇸
Diana RIBA I GINER
Greens / EFA · Spain
119(8 solo)
2🇫🇷
Manon AUBRY
The Left (GUE/NGL) · France
114(51 solo)
3🇫🇷
Marie TOUSSAINT
Greens / EFA · France
111
4🇮🇪
Clare DALY
The Left (GUE/NGL) · Ireland
79(30 solo)
5🇮🇪
Grace O'SULLIVAN
Greens / EFA · Ireland
58
6🇩🇪
Anna DEPARNAY-GRUNENBERG
Greens / EFA · Germany
58
7🇫🇷
Benoît BITEAU
Greens / EFA · France
58
8🇷🇴
Ramona STRUGARIU
Renew Europe · Romania
56
9🇧🇪
Hilde VAUTMANS
Renew Europe · Belgium
55
10🇩🇰
Karen MELCHIOR
Renew Europe · Denmark
54
11🇸🇰
Michal ŠIMEČKA
Renew Europe · Slovakia
52
12🇧🇪
Olivier CHASTEL
Renew Europe · Belgium
52
13🇦🇹
Sarah WIENER
Greens / EFA · Austria
51
14🇪🇸
Domènec RUIZ DEVESA
Socialists & Democrats · Spain
46
15🇲🇹
Roberta METSOLA
European People's Party (EPP) · Malta
43
16🇩🇪
Tiemo WÖLKEN
Socialists & Democrats · Germany
43
17🇭🇺
Anna Júlia DONÁTH
Renew Europe · Hungary
42
18🇫🇷
Fabienne KELLER
Renew Europe · France
41
19🇲🇹
Cyrus ENGERER
Socialists & Democrats · Malta
39(5 solo)
20🇲🇹
David CASA
European People's Party (EPP) · Malta
38
21🇪🇸
Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA
Renew Europe · Spain
38
22🇱🇻
Dace MELBĀRDE
European People's Party (EPP) · Latvia
36
23🇩🇪
Gunnar BECK
Identity & Democracy · Germany
35
24🇫🇷
Gilles LEBRETON
Identity & Democracy · France
35
25🇫🇷
Jean-Paul GARRAUD
Patriots for Europe · France
35

The amendments, in full text

599 amendments

Every amendment as tabled — original text, proposed change and justification, with a link to the official PDF.

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