Brussels, 04/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - Seeking to be reassuring, the statements made by European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and broadcast on 26 February by ZDNnet Uk confirm that the European Commission in no way supports the principle of “three strikes and you're out” to combat unlawful downloading in the context of the anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA). They were not enough, however, to appease criticism and the concerns of the European Parliament on the opacity of talks and the possible non-compliance with the fundamental freedoms of the ACTA chapter on internet piracy (EUROPE 10085). At the insistence of several MEPs, especially Françoise Castex (S&D, France), the EP will hold a debate with the Commission on the highly controversial accord that the EU has been secretly negotiating since 2007 with Australia, Canada, South Korea, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and Switzerland. The conference of presidents of political groups in the EP validated, on Thursday 4 March, a draft joint resolution on ACTA signed by all groups. The draft resolution being finalised, in which MEPs call for absolute transparency in talks and respect for acquis communautaire, will be voted the day after the debate with the Commission on Tuesday 9 March. (E.H./transl.jl)