European Commission Gets Tough Treatment From Parliament Over ACTA

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch

In a written declaration presented 24 February, members of the Liberal Party Group (ALDE), the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and the European People’s Party (EPP) requested the European Commission immediately make all documents related to the ongoing negotiations of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) publicly available.

Françoise Castex (S&D), Zuzana Roithová (EPP), Alexander Alvaro (ALDE) and Stavros Lambrinidis (S&D) also laid out several conditions for the content of ACTA, in particular that it “should not indirectly impose harmonisation of EU copyright, patent or trademark law.” The members of Parliament were also highly critical of a possible softening of the conditions needed to cut off the internet access of repeat copyright infringers. Judicial due process is a fundamental condition for any internet cut-off, they said.

A copy of the declaration obtained by Intellectual Property Watch is available here [doc].

The controversial ACTA negotiations have been receiving more interest in Europe recently. Also this week, the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) saw fierce debate between commission officials and members of Parliament over lack of transparency (IPW, IP Burble, 23 February 2010). Green Party member Carl Schlyter demanded the new Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht take the floor at the next INTA meeting to give clear information on ACTA. The European Internet Service Providers Association (EuroISPA) also criticised ACTA in a press release [pdf].