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ACTA Diary
R.I.P.
Tuesday 10th July 2012
Epilogue
Greens/EFA MEPs pose with the flowers they received following an online call by activist Rick Falkvinge to send flowers as a thank you to all of the MEPs who voted to reject ACTA. The flowers received today belong to all of us, to everyone who has done at least something (big or small) to help defeat ACTA. This is exactly how it should be. Politics is best as a participation sport.
Wednesday 4th July 2012
13:00
ACTA Defeated! (39 votes in favour; 478 against; 165 abstentions) EPP failed in their attempt to have the vote posponed. The vote to reject ACTA effectively ends the prospect of the EU acceding to the treaty. The Greens/EFA group has raised its concerns about this agreement since the outset of the shadowy negotiations, as have an ever growing number of citizens. Today represents a victory for the citizens who mobilised and forced their MEPs to listen, and Green MEPs celebrated this by holding up posters in the Hemicycle saying "Hello Democracy, Goodbye ACTA"
- Greens/EFA Action: Hello Democracy! Goodbye ACTA! (Flickr Album)
- Greens/EFA Action: Hello Democracy! Goodbye ACTA! (Facebook Album)
- Press Release (EN, ES, FR, DE): ACTA consigned to history; EU must now start honest debate on IPR protection
09:00
The EPP group (Conservatives) has decided to ask for the postponement of the vote on ACTA. This delaying tactic will take place when the voting session begins this afternoon. Let your MEP know what you think of these tactics! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more detailed and technical coverage of the fight against ACTA, visit the campaign website
Friday 29th June 2012
The final plenary vote on ACTA will take place next week, with plenty of opportunities for the procedural dirty tricks we've seen so far during committee votes. The first will come on Monday evening as the plenary opens. Any attempt to have ACTA removed from the agenda could take place then. During Tuesday's debate, we expect once more to hear arguments for postponing the vote until after the ECJ has given its opinion, a delaying tactic that has cropped up before in the false hope that campaigners would loose interest. The final vote will come Wednesday, with heavy pro-ACTA lobbying set to continue up to the last minute in Strasbourg and a result impossible to predict. We have seen in the committee votes that there is hope if civil society and citizens also make their voice heard. The whole European Parliament will be voting so contact your MEP now!Tuesday 26th June 2012
Good news from the Netherlands where the Dutch government decides not to sign ACTA. The question remains, which way will Dutch MEPs vote next week? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thursday 21st June 2012
Final vote in International Trade Committee (INTA) Centre-Right EPP and ECR Groups fail to have vote postponed (12 - 19). Final vote goes ahead, in public, and Trade committee recommends rejection of ACTA! (19 - 12). There is hope! Vote now moves to the plenary session in July where the whole European Parliament will vote. Expect continuation of HEAVY pro-ACTA lobbying in the next week.- Press Release - Trade Committee MEPs vote to reject controversial treaty
Tuesday 19th June 2012
Petitions Committee (PETI) held a hearing with Avaaz whose ACTA petition reached 2,847,149 by morning. No vote was held, but Greens/EFA MEPs wore ACT on ACTA t-shirts and led the majority of speakers in praising the petitioners and speaking against ACTA. According to Raul Romeva "This is not only a juridical debate, it is highly political and with deep political implications. As elected representatives of the EU citizens, the MEPs must ensure that their voice and their will is finally heard. Our dignity as an institution is at stake here."
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Monday 18th June 2012
After four strikes against ACTA, the agreement faced the public in the Petitions committee Tuesday morning and was up for a final vote in the lead Trade committee Thursday. Rumours are flying that the EPP (Conservatives) want a secret ballot, unheard of for a report's committee vote, and that the ECR want the vote delayed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Saturday 9th June 2012
Green MEPs march in Europe-wide action against ACTA. In Brussels, the gathering took place at Place de l'Albertine and marched through the city. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thursday 7th June 2012
After an online public consultation, the Greens/EFA group lauches "50 Reasons to Reject ACTA". It is hoped this list will influence other MEPs being heavily lobbied by ACTA supporters and aid the Europe wide day of action against ACTA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Monday 4th June 2012
18:30
Development Committee (DEVE) vote: Recommends to reject ACTA. Important vote given the impact ACTA could have on access to medicines in developing countries, the intensive pro-ACTA lobbying in recent days, attempts to delay the vote and the pro-ACTA Rapporteur's desire for a postponement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wednesday 31st May 2012
12:45
Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) vote: 36 votes in favour of rejecting ACTA, 1 against and 21 abstentions, based on its compatibility with with fundamental rights. Committee adopts MEP Droutsas' opinion on ACTA despite cheap tricks from EPP (Conservatives) attempting to disrupt the vote. Meanwhile, ALDE (Liberals) suffer from delusions of grandeur as they blow their won trumpet and zig-zag back to their original position against ACTA. That's three-strikes against ACTA today, appropriately enough.10:45
Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) vote on Gallo report: 12 votes against ACTA, 10 votes in favour and 2 abstentions. MEP Gallo says she will withdraw her name from the report. The Secretariat will adjust the text so that it says JURI recomends the International Trade Committee (INTA) withhold consent to ACTA. Next vote today is in LIBE...10:20
Industry Committee (ITRE) vote: Greens/EFA MEP Amelia Andersdotter's opinion to reject ACTA adopted 31 votes in favour, 25 votes against. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tuesday 30th May 2012
A busy week begins for ACTA with four committee meetings (3 votes) in two days. This calendar will be updated with results as they happen. Are these the final nails in ACTA's coffin?The Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) has an exchange of views on MEP Gallo's Opinion on ACTA today. Vote tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) will vote on MEP Droutsas' Opinion on ACTA and the Industry Committee (ITRE) will vote on Greens/EFA MEP Amelia Andersdotter's Opinion on ACTA. Stay tuned! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday 10th May 2012
The Greens/EFA Group launches an online campign to gather 50 Reasons to Reject ACTA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Friday 4th May 2012
The chair of the European Parliament's legal affairs committee writes to EU trade commissioner De Gucht outlining the committee's dissatisfaction with how the Commission has handled the controversial ACTA anti-counterfeiting agreement from a legal standpoint. The letter came after pressure from the Greens.- Article - EP raises questions over Commission's legal handling of ACTA
- Letter to Commissioner De Gucht
Wednesday 25th April 2012
The International Trade Committee debates the recommendation by the EP rapporteur to reject the agreement. The debate comes a day after the EU's data protection supervisor raised concerns about the agreement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thursday 12th April 2012
International Trade Committee, the lead committee in the ratification process for ACTA, holds a hearing on ACTA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tuesday 27th March 2012
MEPs on the International Trade Committee decide not to push for a separate referral of ACTA to the European Court of Justice, following a decision by the Commission to refer the agreement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wednesday 29th February 2012
Greens/EFA Co-Presidents Dany Cohn-Bendit and Rebecca Harms write to Commission President Barroso asking him to clarify the announcement that the Commission will refer ACTA to the European Court of Justice for a legal opinion.- Press Release - Commission president must clarify procedure and timing on ACTA ratification and ECJ referral (EN/DE)
- Letter to Commission President Barroso
Tuesday 28th February 2012
International NGO Avaaz.org deliver and anti-ACTA petition with 2.5 million signatures to the European Parliament- Press Release -Le Parlement européen saisi d'une pétition de 2,5 millions d'opposants à ACTA (FR)
- Avaaz.org petition - ACTA: The new threat to the net
Wednesday 22nd February 2012
EU Trade Commissioner de Gucht announces that the European Commission will refer ACTA to the European Court of Justice to verify its compatibility with EU law. The Greens/EFA group, which long argued that ACTA is in conflict with EU law and called for referral to the ECJ, welcomed the announcement as an important step to ensuring ACTA does not come into force in Europe.- Press Release -Referral to ECJ hopefully a nail in the ACTA coffin (EN/DE/FR)
- Statement by Commissioner de Gucht
Tuesday 14th February 2012
Greens/EFA MEPs demonstrate against ACTA outside the European Parliament in Strasbourg, increasing pressure on MEPs to take action- Video - Say No to ACTA
- Article - Say No to ACTA!: Greens/EFA MEPs demonstrate at the European Parliament
- Press Release -Acuerdo Comercial Anti-Falsificación (ACTA): STOP ACTA (ES)
Saturday 11th February 2012
Green MEPs take part in protests across the continent during the Europe wide day of action against ACTA.- Article - ACTA and basic rights:Opposition to ACTA gathering pace, as ratification process falters
- Press Release -Traité ACTA : attention danger (FR/DE)
Tuesday 31st January 2012
German Green MEPs launch dossier on ACTA: What is it? What are the problems? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thursday 26th January 2012
The EU and 22 of its member states sign up to ACTA in Tokyo. While the signing process is symbolic - and the agreement must still be ratified by member states and the European Parliament - it provokes demonstrations across Europe.- Article - ACTA signing an unfortunate symbolic step for controversial agreement
- Press Release - ACTA : Les écologistes appellent le Parlement à faire barrage à ACTA (FR/DE)
Friday 16th December 2011
EU fisheries ministers give go-ahead for the Council Presidency to formally sign ACTA. The agreement can now be signed by the Council Presidency on behalf of the EU. The Greens strongly criticised the decision, highlighting persisting concerns about the legality of the deal and its compatibility with EU provisions on fundamental rights. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thursday 24th November 2011
The European Court of Justice issues a significant ruling in the SABAM vs Scarlet case, judging that internet service providers cannot be obliged to filter or block internet content. The Greens welcomed the ruling, a landmark in guaranteeing the openness of the internet and an indirect blow to ACTA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thursday 6th October 2011
The Greens/EFA group presents an analysis of potential impacts of ACTA on access to medicines in developing countries. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tuesday 4th October 2011
The Greens/EFA group presents a new study on the compatibility of ACTA with the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The study underlines concerns that the ACTA agreement violates fundamental rights, strengthening the arguments of the Greens and others that are calling for the agreement to be scrapped.- Study
- Press Release - New study underlines rights concerns with ACTA, strengthens calls for deal to be scrapped
- Video of Press Conference
