About: ACTA

Commission official: The EU is not going to change its food legislation because of TTIP

The EU is not going to change its food safety legislation under the negotiation for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which means that GMOs can be marketed in the EU only once they have been authorised, and beef from the USA would be marketable in Europe only if it is hormone free, Ignacio Garcia Bercero of the European Commission told EURACTIV Czech Republic.

Europe needs an ambitious digital agenda

The European Parliament must take its responsibility to make Europe the smartest and most connected continent, starting with the creation of one committee for Digital Affairs and Technology, writes Marietje Schaake.

Should EU regulatory professionals start engaging in social media?

We are witnessing a new phenomenon where online tools, and especially the mobilising force of social media is no longer restricted to high politics or pure monitoring of EU events, but it is entering the realm of regulatory issues, from pesticides to intellectual property, where policy makers, both on national and EU level, are keen (and sometimes forced) to listen to the public, says András Baneth.

Groups warn EU-US trade deal could weaken consumer laws ‘via the backdoor’

Consumer groups on both sides of the Atlantic have raised concerns about a  proposed EU-US free trade agreement, saying it could weaken health, banking and food safety regulations through the back door.

The end of the internet as we know it?

The picture of thousands Europeans protesting against ACTA is still fresh. They stopped it, but today they have an even better reason to demonstrate at the forthcoming World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT), argues Ivailo Kalfin.

Stanishev elected PES president

The Congress of the Party of European Socialists elected Sergei Stanishev as their new leader. The chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and former Bulgarian prime minister clinched the office with 91.3% of the votes cast in an election held Saturday (29 September). 

The post-mortem on ACTA

The effects of the ACTA are serious and far-reaching, touching the health and lives of people in poorer countries worldwide. The ambiguity with which the treaty is written provides significant scope for improper implementation with the potential to create more harm than benefit, argues Andreas Geiger.

Goodbye ACTA: EU Parliament rejects anti-piracy treaty

The European Parliament rejected yesterday (4 July) the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), dealing a blow to European Commissioner Karel De Gucht, who sought to dissuade MEPs from voting on the international treaty before the European Court of Justice gave its opinion.

De Buck: Boosting the role of the EESC

Philippe de Buck, who is stepping down as director-general of BusinessEurope at the end of 2012, has put forward his candidature to head the European Economic and Social Committee. He promises to boost its visibility if elected.

MEPs to ‘finish off’ ACTA on 4 July

A European Parliament Committee rejected the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) yesterday (21 June) despite pro-business lobbying by Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, who insisted that Parliament should not decide before the European Court of Justice gives its opinion. A final vote in the full Parliament is expected on 4 July.

Parliament votes bring ACTA closer to final rejection

Three committees in the European Parliament have rejected the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) yesterday (31 May), in what some MEPs described as the last nail in the coffin for the controversial agreement.

Liberals put last nail in ACTA coffin

The liberal ALDE group in the European Parliament jumped onto the bandwagon to oppose the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) by declaring yesterday (25 April) that they will vote against it, as "too many provisions" were "unclear". In case a plenary vote was held before the summer, a majority of MEPs would therefore reject ACTA.

ACTA: EU privacy watchdog warns of internet spying threat

A global trade deal to stop copyright theft could give internet providers the right to spy on users, breaching European Union law, the EU's data privacy chief said yesterday (24 April).

European Pirate family is born

Pirate party representatives from more than 25 countries agreed at a conference in Prague to prepare a joint platform and campaign for the elections to the European Parliament in 2014, the Czech media reported.

EU Parliament’s draftsman urges ACTA rejection

British MEP David Martin, in charge of steering the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) through the European Parliament, said yesterday (12 April) that he would urge lawmakers to reject the controversial treaty.

Poll puts Germany’s Pirate Party in third place

Germany's political newcomer, the Pirate Party, has become the third political force in the country according to a new survey that gives it 13% of support, ahead of the Greens (11%), the Left (Die Linke, 8%) and the Liberals (5%). EURACTIV Germany contributed to this article.

Commission sides with business on ACTA

The European Commission took a stance yesterday (4 April) in favour of a quick adoption of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), against the will of the European Parliament, which plans to reject it in a plenary vote by the summer.

MEPs vow to ‘bury’ ACTA by summer

The Socialist and Green groups in the European Parliament vowed to "bury" the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement by the summer, before the European Court of Justice would have the chance to issue a verdict.

Serbia to adopt ACTA for EU membership: Official

As a new candidate for EU membership, Serbia will have to adopt the controversial ACTA agreement if the bloc ratifies it. Official statistics show that software piracy in Serbia remains higher than in any EU member. EURACTIV Serbia reports.

ACTA and access to medicines: flawed process, rationale and agreement

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been characterised by a flawed process of negotiations based on a flawed rationale, which has resulted in a flawed agreement, argue Sophie Bloemen and Tessel Mellema from Health Action International Europe. One of the concerns now is that – designed to be a global norm-setting instrument - ACTA could deter generic competition of medicines around the world.

Businesses plead for ‘correct understanding’ of ACTA

Considerable misunderstanding about what the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is, and especially what it is not, should be addressed before the European Court of Justice gives its verdict within two years, federations protecting copyrights told EURACTIV.

EU suspends ACTA ratification

The Commission has decided to refer the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement to the European Court of Justice, halting for now ratification of ACTA by 22 EU countries. The Commission's moved was welcomed by leading European political parties that fear the international accord would trample rights and freedoms.