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 a statement, EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht said that bringing ACTA to the court will "allow for Europe's top court to independently clarify the legality of this agreement." De Gucht also believes that this move will "cut through the fog of uncertainty" and let the debate focus on the facts of the agreement, as opposed to "the misinformation or rumour that has dominated social media sites and blogs."

Image source: Otto de Voogd (Flickr)