European Parliament rejects ACTA
Move to improve the enforcement of anti-counterfeiting law internationally can no longer become law
The European Parliament has rejected the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), meaning that the measure cannot now become law in the EU. This was the first time that Parliament exercised its Lisbon Treaty power to reject an international trade agreement. The MEPs recorded 478 votes against ACTA, 39 in favour, and 165 abstentions.
ACTA was negotiated by the EU and its member states, the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Switzerland to improve the enforcement of anti-counterfeiting law internationally. The negative vote means that neither the EU nor its individual member states can join the agreement.
The Parliament had experienced unprecedented direct lobbying by thousands of EU citizens who called on it to reject ACTA, including a petition signed by 2.8 million citizens worldwide urging it to reject the agreement.
‘I am very pleased that Parliament has followed my recommendation to reject ACTA,’ said rapporteur David Martin. He reiterated his concerns that the treaty is too vague, open to misinterpretation and could therefore jeopardise citizens' liberties. However, he also stressed the need to find alternative ways to protect intellectual property in the EU, as the ‘raw material of the EU economy’.