The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement: ACTA struggles to pass in Europe
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is intended to prevent the flow of counterfeit and pirated goods between nations. The treaty was first signed in Tokyo on October 1, 2011 by the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, and Morocco, before 22 of the 27 EU member states signed in January 2012. The agreement has since come under increased scrutiny, and after being panned by high-level EC politicians, is on the brink of failure. The European Union will make its final decision on ACTA in June, and you can follow the whole story here.
EU Parliament rejects ACTA
The European Parliament has today voted to reject the controversial anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA). The vote was staggeringly one-sided, with 478 votes against, 146 abstentions, and just 39 in favor. The 'no' vote essentially ends any chance of ACTA coming into effect in either the EU or its individual member states. Today's vote marks the first time that the European Parliament has exercised its Lisbon Treaty power to reject an international trade agreement.
Web & Social
ACTA fails to gain ITC approval, MEPs vote to reject controversial piracy treaty
The controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been rejected by the International Trade Committee. Made up of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), the committee voted 19 against and 12 in favor with no abstentions. The ITC vote will now act as a final recommendation to the European Parliament when it makes its final decision in early July. Many have expected ACTA to fail for some time now, and today's events make the parliament's decision almost a certainty.
The 'no'...
Three out of four EU committees vote against ACTA
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has met with more disapproval in Europe. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will make a final decision on the agreement based on an International Trade Commission (ITC) recommendation. The ITC's decision will be influenced by four EU committees that focus on legal affairs, civil liberties, industry, and development respectively. Today the official EU website is reporting that the legal affairs, civil liberties, and development committees...
Policy & Law
Dutch legislature takes stand against Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
Dutch legislators have adopted a motion asking their government not to sign the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, an anti-piracy treaty that critics say threatens online freedom. Previously, the government had said it would not sign unless the European Court of Justice found that ACTA did not violate any other EU rights and laws, but this motion is a stronger sign of opposition occurring shortly after the Netherlands became the first European country to adopt a formal net neutrality law....
Web & Social
ACTA unlikely to happen, says European Commissioner
Neelie Kroes, The European Commissioner for Digital Agenda, said in a speech on Friday that the controversial ACTA bill was unlikely to come into effect. ACTA is a trade agreement that aims to eliminate the international exchange of counterfeit goods and pirated material. It has been signed by 22 of the 27 EU states, along with the US, Canada, Japan, and others, but must be approved by the EC to become European law. The trade agreement is currently being investigated by the European Court of...
Web & Social
ACTA 'highly intrusive' to individuals, says European Data Protection Supervisor
The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has given an opinion in his official capacity on ACTA, an anti-counterfeiting trade agreement which has been criticized for its potential to invade an individual's privacy. ACTA is an international treaty that has been signed by, among others, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and 22 of the 27 EU member states. It's concerned with stemming the flow of illegal goods, both tangible and digital, between nations. The EDPS, an...
ACTA sent to European Court of Justice over 'rights and freedoms' concerns
The European Commission has announced plans to refer the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement to the European Court of Justice in order to assess its legality. The agreement was signed by the European Union and 22 member nations at the end of January, though countries including both Germany and Denmark have yet to sign in wake of public protests. ACTA has been compared to SOPA, with many worried that it will stifle internet freedom in an attempt to stop copyright infringement. In...
Polish lawmakers protest ACTA with Anonymous Guy Fawkes masks
When Poland signed the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement yesterday, lawmakers from the left-wing Palikot's Movement showed their dissatisfaction in an unusual way: by donning the Guy Fawkes masks popularized by the group Anonymous. Besides their association with a group known for protesting censorship and anti-piracy laws, the printed masks — which are ironically counterfeits of a design owned by Time Warner — are also a symbol of the kind of expression critics fear ACTA...
Policy & Law
22 EU member nations sign ACTA intellectual property agreement
The EU and 22 of its member nations signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) today. Despite its name, ACTA covers copyright violations and digital piracy as well as knock-off handbags and other counterfeit goods. It's been accused of being undemocratic because negotiations were originally conducted in secret — although a full text of the treaty is available now online. Anonymous and others even compare it to SOPA, claiming that vague language could allow ISPs to be held...
