Media News - Thursday, February 23, 2012

EU refers anti-online piracy pact to court

The European Commission said Wednesday it has asked the EU's highest court to rule on the legality of a controversial treaty covering copyright, counterfeiting and Internet freedom. The EU executive "decided Wednesday to ask the European Court of Justice for a legal opinion to clarify that the ACTA agreement and its implementation must be fully compatible with freedom of expression and freedom of the internet," said a statement. However, even at the highest levels in Brussels, officials are deeply divided over the accord, with the justice commissioner openly criticising the deal. The United States, Japan and Canada are among signatories to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), but a number of mainly eastern European states have threatened not to ratify the treaty, which critics say could curtail Internet freedom. The Commission has defended ACTA against accusations that it amounts to a witch hunt against individuals illegally downloading content and has vowed to try to keep the deal alive when it comes up for ratification later this month by the European Parliament. A string of protests has drawn tens of thousands of citizens onto the streets of European cities over recent weekends. (AFP)

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