ACTA
EU Parliament demands transparency on Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
With wide cross-party support, the European Parliament today adopted a resolution demanding transparency on the negotiations regarding the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), a plurilateral and far-reaching deal (including internet issues) that is being negotiated by the Commission on behalf of the EU. The Commission is yet to provide negotiation documents to the European Parliament, a violation of the Lisbon Treaty. (1)
Greens/EFA MEP Carl Schlyter (Greens, Sweden) commented:
"ACTA risks becoming known as the Absence of Commission Transparency Agreement. In its negotiations on ACTA, the Commission should be upholding the principles of transparency, human rights and the EU Parliament's legal right to information. Instead, the Commission is failing this litmus test of its compliance in informing Parliament under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty.
The EU cannot continue to negotiate on ACTA if the people are not allowed to take part in the process. It is also a totally absurd and unacceptable situation if MEPs, behind closed doors, have to ask the Commission about the content of the agreements we are supposed to vote on."
Greens/EFA MEPChristian Engström(Pirate Party, Sweden) commented:
"The EU Parliament has shown that it does not accept secrecy and that it cherishes an open internet for all. MEPs have also shown that the Parliament will not accept to be treated like a doormat.I am extremely satisfied that this resolution has been adopted. The Commission has been strongly urged to keep us fully and immediately informed on the ACTA negotiations. This is of utmost importance, since leaks have revealed that the negotiations include issues which threaten to roll back positive steps towards freedom of the Internet.
We now demand access to all the documents so that we can start to discuss the content of ACTA. We will fight for personal integrity, freedom of the Internet and for a free and open society.If the Commission and the Council refuse to comply with today's resolution, we have clearly signalled that we are ready to go to Court of Justice of the European Union and ultimately veto the whole agreement if necessary."
Notes to editors:
(1) Article 218 of the TFEU, regarding international trade agreements.
