Greenpeace International's landmark anti-intimidation lawsuit against Energy Transfer continues uninterrupted in the Netherlands after a North Dakota judge yesterday rejected the US-based fossil fuel pipeline company's request for an anti-suit injunction, an attempt to avoid accountability under the European Union's anti-SLAPP laws.[1][2] Greenpeace International's lawsuit follows Energy Transfer's back-to-back abusive lawsuits in the US and calls upon the EU's anti-SLAPP directive.[3]
Mads Christensen, Executive Director, Greenpeace International said: "Energy Transfer won't be able to bully its way out of facing accountability for its attacks on free speech. We will continue to resist all forms of intimidation and explore every option to hold Energy Transfer accountable for repeated attempts at silencing our free speech.
"Something absolutely vital is at stake in Greenpeace International's groundbreaking anti-SLAPP case against Energy Transfer in the Netherlands: The ability of people to hold corporate polluters to account for the devastation they're causing. We look forward to seeing Energy Transfer in court in Amsterdam."
Energy Transfer, the pipeline company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, asked North Dakota District Court Judge James D. Gion on 22 July 2025 to issue an anti-suit injunction protecting it from the anti-SLAPP lawsuit filed by Greenpeace International in the Netherlands.[4] Energy Transfer requested relief from the same North Dakota District Court that is still deciding on a final judgment in its pending intimidation lawsuit against Greenpeace International and Greenpeace entities in the US. Judge Gion has not yet delivered a final judgment in that case.[5]
Daniel Simons, Senior Legal Counsel Strategic Defense, Greenpeace International said: "Energy Transfer's aggressive attempt to stop Greenpeace International from pursuing justice and restitution under EU law is very much in character. After filing back-to-back abusive lawsuits in the US, Energy Transfer clearly fears a jurisdiction that has protections against abusive SLAPP lawsuits. These panicked moves show the power of the EU's new anti-SLAPP directive is being felt. This legislation is intended to protect those who speak out for the public good from exactly the type of bullying lawsuit that Energy Transfer is waging in the US."
Almost simultaneously with the North Dakota judge's decision, Energy Transfer responded in Greenpeace International's anti-SLAPP case in the Netherlands, filing a motion with the Amsterdam District Court with yet more attempts to avoid accountability under Dutch and EU law.[6]
Energy Transfer's back-to-back SLAPPs are part of a wave of abusive lawsuits filed by Big Oil companies like Shell, Total, and ENI against Greenpeace entities in recent years. This includes Greenpeace France successfully defeating TotalEnergies' SLAPP on 28 March 2024, and Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International forcing Shell to back down from its SLAPP on 10 December 2024.
