During the International Press Freedom Seminar at the Ghent university (UGent) on 12 December 2022, the establishment of a Belgian anti-SLAPP working group was announced. Prof. em. Dirk Voorhoof was the keynote speaker at this congress focusing on SLAPPs and he took the initiative. This ANTI-SLAPP WORKING GROUP BELGIUM has meanwhile been installed and focuses on pooling information on SLAPPs and participates in consultations on international initiatives. The working group also wants to help stimulate and monitor anti-SLAPP initiatives in Belgium, both at federal and community level.

The working group consists of some 40 members. They include representatives from the media and journalism sector, citizens' initiatives, NGOs, academics, lawyers and (honorary) magistrates. Members of the working group include: Audrey Adam, Jo Baert, Liesbeth Beeckman (vzw Samen Sterk! and vzw Erfpacht), Anthony Godfroid, Henri Heimans, Stéphane Hoebeke, Jago Kosolosky, Jan Lippens, Paul Maeyaert, Michaël Merrigan (FIRM-IFDH, as observer), Jan Nolf, Jörgen Oosterwaal, Olivier Sasserath, Lien Stolle, Karen Van Brabant, John Vandaele, Jan Van Langendonck, Caro Van Wichelen, Dries Verhaeghe (vzw Dryade), Patrick Vermeren, Dirk Voorhoof.

On behalf of the working group, there are contacts or consultations on the SLAPP issue with, among others, the federal minister of justice, FIRM, the AVBB/VVJ, the legal profession and the judiciary, as well as with the EU and the Council of Europe and CASE, the Coalition Against Slapps in Europe.