Amsterdam, Netherlands — Greenpeace International’s landmark anti-SLAPP lawsuit against Energy Transfer continues in the Netherlands after the North Dakota Supreme Court today largely rejected the pipeline company’s attempt to avoid accountability under Dutch and EU laws. The court’s opinion calls for a “narrowly tailored” anti-suit injunction, but expressly does not “foreclose all related litigation by GPI in the Netherlands.”[1] The first hearing in Greenpeace International’s anti-SLAPP case against Energy Transfer, for its back-to-back bullying lawsuits in the US, took place on 16 April 2026 in the Amsterdam District Court.
Daniel Simons, Senior Legal Counsel Strategic Defense, Greenpeace International said: “Today’s North Dakota Supreme Court opinion does not enable Energy Transfer to escape accountability under Dutch and EU law for their unlawful actions against Greenpeace International. The legal fight to remedy the harms suffered as a result of Energy Transfer’s intimidation tactics continues.”
The North Dakota Supreme Court’s order clears the way for Greenpeace International to continue pursuing its anti-SLAPP case in the Netherlands on multiple grounds. It imposes no restriction on arguments that Energy Transfer’s failed federal lawsuit was a SLAPP and that out-of-court statements made by the pipeline company are defamatory. Greenpeace International will be permitted to continue arguing Energy Transfer has acted abusively in the pending District Court case that resulted in a US$345 million judgment against Greenpeace International and Greenpeace organisations in the US.[2] The “narrowly tailored” injunction will pertain only to Greenpeace International asking for a finding that the North Dakota case lacks “legal foundation” or is “manifestly unfounded”. Greenpeace International has 14 days to file a petition for re-hearing.
ENDS
Notes:
- 7 May 2026 State Supreme Court Opinion on Energy Transfer’s Petition for Supervisory Writ
- Energy Transfer has been waging abusive lawsuits against Greenpeace International and Greenpeace entities in the US for nearly a decade in a blatant attempt to silence free speech, erase Indigenous leadership of the Standing Rock movement, and punish solidarity with peaceful resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Energy Transfer’s first lawsuit was filed in US federal court in 2017 and was dismissed in 2019, with the judge stating the evidence fell “far short”. Energy Transfer promptly filed a new but similar case in a North Dakota state court. Despite no sound legal basis for any liability, that case returned a US$345 million judgment in favor of the company in February 2026. The Greenpeace parties involved are seeking a new trial and, if that fails, will appeal this judgment to the North Dakota Supreme Court.
Contacts:
Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]
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Ref: https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/83311/greenpeace-internationals-landmark-anti-slapp-case-against-energy-transfer-moves-forward-following-restrictions-from-north-dakota-supreme-court/
