CEPIC News

ACTA Update

Jun 08. 2012
07:06
by
sylviefodor
Tags

Will ACTA die before it was even born? Here is the latest up-date and why CEPIC supports a world-wide famous and very much publicized "secret treaty".

The fight against IPR infringements at global level is a key priority for CEPIC. The problems which ACTA seeks to address are real and growing. IPR infringements have increased substantially and continue to do so, which has negative consequences ranging from economic and job losses to health and safety dangers.

Therefore, we are in support of initiatives that aim to address the harms of IPR infringements to consumers, governments, economies and jobs. ACTA contributes to addressing today’s challenges in fighting IPR infringements by building upon current international agreements and setting a procedural framework allowing governments to better cooperate in their enforcement and public awareness raising efforts against IPR infringements.

Some MEPs expressed concerns regarding the ACTA Treaty’s compatibility with the EU acquis and fundamental rights, and so we welcomed the decision of the European Commission to refer ACTA to the Court of Justice of the EU to get clarity on this matter. It would be a pity if the Parliament went ahead and voted without waiting for the CJEU ruling. At the very least, we ask that the Parliament wait for the clarifications that a number of MEPs have asked for from the European Commission on several points in the treaty.

We therefore support the following amendments allowing for the ruling of the CJEU or additional clarification to take place before the European Parliament votes on the treaty:

  • ITRE: Amendment 39
  • LIBE: Amendments 3, 20, 21, 30, 31, 37

Most importantly, we ask that MEPs wait for the ruling of the CJEU. Facts are more important than politics. At the end, a political decision will lead to job destruction and further empoverishment of European creative industries.