The Swedish newspaper DN.se received a copy of the secret European Union mandate to negotiate the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Informed about the content, Swedish Member of the European Parliament Jens Holms said the document has confirmed his fears. (google translation)]
Behind closed doors, the European Union, United States, Japan and other governments are negotiating the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. No mandates or drafts are published. The ACTA will contain new rules for the enforcement of copyrights, trade mark rights, patents and other so called “intellectual property” rights. Public interest organisations are concerned ACTA may limit access to medicines, limit access to the internet, give patent trolls free reign and harm the most innovative sectors of the economy.
"The document has confirmed my fears. They want to basically stop everything that can be spread on the Internet, all forms of trademark infringement, and even medicine. It is much more far reaching than I thought. I wonder, finally, what is not covered by ACTA?" said Jens Holm to DN.se.
In the EU, preparatory legal texts have to be published. Informed about the content of the mandate, MEP Jens Holm said he regards the ACTA as legislation.
The ACTA is used to create legislation without democratic control. The European Council said it may adopt the ACTA during parliamentary vacation.
The concerns stated by public interest groups are now confirmed by the secret mandate. The ACTA may limit the freedoms and rights of all Europeans and millions or billions outside the union.
Apparently, the control undemocratic forces have over Europe is so far reaching that DN.se did not dare to publish the mandate itself.
Now, if we are all very quiet, we can hear Robert Schuman turn over in his grave.
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