Blog Archives

The EU – Canada trade agreement (CETA) contains the same draconian civil and criminal measures as ACTA, see Michael Geist. He recommends: “With anti-ACTA sentiment spreading across Europe, Canada should push to remove the intellectual property chapter from CETA altogether.” I agree completely: trade agreements and IP regulations have to be disentangled. “CETA must be cancelled altogether (or its repressive ACTA parts must be...

Read more »

Today, the European Parliament rejected the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in a 478 to 39 vote with 165 abstentions. Before the vote the European People’s Party requested a vote on postponement of the vote. The Parliament rejected postponement in a 420 to 255 vote with 9 abstentions. This is a major victory for civil society, Internet freedom, access to medicine and knowledge, and innovative...

Read more »

On Tuesday 3 July the European Parliament had a long debate on ACTA. No surprises, the group positions were expressed an other time. Vital Moreira, Member of the Socialists and Democrats and International Trade committee Chair, indicated he will vote in favour of ACTA, against his group position. The European People’s Party had more dissenting opinions, like Ria Oomen-Ruijten, rapporteur on ACTA for the...

Read more »

The European Peoples Party wants to wash its hands in innocence. Yesterday, Monday 2 July, the EPP tweeded: “EPP Group ‏@EPPGroup #EPP will ask during tomorrow’s debate on #ACTA for a postponement of the vote until we have ECJ’s ruling.” The EPP is afraid of a political vote. Postponement would be a wrong approach. The Court’s test is a marginal one on fundamental rights....

Read more »

Update: no one made a request to postpone the vote on ACTA. The debate will be on Tuesday 15.00, the roll call vote (a bit after) Wednesday 12.30 Watch it live: EP video streams: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/en/ plenary session: http://live.europarl.europa.eu/asx/ext/plenary.asx alternative stream, original language: mms://livewms.europarl.europa.eu/reflector:56235 alternative stream, English: mms://livewms.europarl.europa.eu/reflector:56235 – aid 3 Try other “aid” numbers for other languages. Second alternative stream: mms://livewms.europarl.europa.eu/reflector:52819 =============== According to...

Read more »

The Greens in the European Parliament tabled important amendments to the draft unitary patent regulation. They aim to bring the unitary patent under democratic control. See unitary-patent.eu for the details. They opened a piphone so you can call Members of Parliament free of charge. Highly recommended.

Read more »

Today the FFII sent an open letter to The President of the European Parliament. See below or the pdf. See also our press release and the French translation: ACTA menace innovation et droits fondamentaux. ==== FFII ACTA endangers innovation and fundamental rights Open letter to The President of the European Parliament 28 June 2012 Dear Mr Schulz, On 6 July 2005, the European Parliament...

Read more »

The European Parliament plenary session will discuss ACTA on the 3rd of July, followed by a plenary vote the next day. The biggest group in Parliament, the EPP, is still in favour of ACTA, and most committee votes were close. Proponents of ACTA are very active. David Martin, the Parliament’s rapporteur on ACTA, told that at first he just thought protecting intellectual property rights...

Read more »