ACTA , the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement , has been defeated in the European Parliament today by 478 votes to 39.
This represents a major victory for millions of people across Europe who have campaigned against this agreement which amounts to a big attack on internet freedoms and civil liberties in the interets of major entertainment corporations.
The European Commission, its allies in the parliament and the Trade Commissioner de Gucht tried everything possible to avoid a final vote on ACTA because that they were afraid it would be defeated. The Commission has behaved with a contempt for democracy throughout the whole process. When de Gucht spoke recently at the International Trade Committee, he basically said that whether or not the vote was passed that the Commission would try to push ahead regardless.
This is an important warning to the anti-ACTA campaigners. Today, has seen an important victory for the tens of thousands who took to the streets and the millions who signed the online petition. But the struggle against ACTA and other measures like ACTA must continue. The Commission has shown their commitment to this idea, they will come back with a new proposal. We will need to continue to fight and struggle for an economy and society based on the free sharing of information, knowledge and research for the benefit of the world’s population.
Article source: http://www.paulmurphymep.eu/acta-defeated-in-european-parliament
