Mandan, North Dakota, Greenpeace International met Energy Transfer in a hearing in North Dakota District Court to address the fossil fuel pipeline company's request to Judge James D. Gion for an anti-suit injunction protecting it from accountability under Dutch and European Union law for the back-to-back SLAPP lawsuits filed in the US against Netherlands-based Greenpeace International.[1][2]
Energy Transfer's request for the first ever anti-suit injunction issued by a North Dakota state court seeks to violate the principles of international comity and, if granted, would undermine the ability of the EU's anti-SLAPP directive to protect EU citizens from attacks on their free speech coming from the US.
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 Dutch and 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.
"Energy Transfer is attempting to pressure the North Dakota court into an unprecedented order to stop Greenpeace International from pursuing the proceedings in the Netherlands. 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 types of bullying tactics that Energy Transfer has been waging in the US."
Greenpeace International filed a lawsuit against Energy Transfer in Amsterdam in February 2025 under the European Union's law to protect freedom of expression.[3] 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.[4]
Energy Transfer's 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.
