Brussels, 23/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 21 February, Sandrine Bélier (Europe Ecology-Greens, France), who heads the green MEPs opposed to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), hailed the Commission's decision to refer the matter of ACTA's compatibility with EU law and EU fundamental freedoms to the European Court of Justice. With considerable enthusiasm, Bélier said the referral, which has long been requested by European ecologists, will, it is hoped, be “one more nail in the coffin of the agreement”. She nonetheless pointed out that the verdict reached by the Court will not be a substitute for the treaty's political process of impact assessment. She went on to say: “The European Parliament and the national parliaments will have to examine the ACTA treaty in the context of the ratification process. In this context, we shall continue to put pressure on so that the European Parliament refuses to give its consent”. Sandrine Bélier was delighted that Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, who is negotiator for the agreement on behalf of the EU, has backpedalled. Just two weeks ago, she said, he showed little understanding although the protest movement against the agreement within civil society was gaining in magnitude, which meant that several ACTA signatory member states have since distanced themselves from the text. Bélier, who is a member of the EP constitutional affairs committee, went on to say that, looking further than technical and legal issues, the public has made ACTA a political challenge, which it is, as the text will have such an impact on their daily lives, their digital freedom to gain access to knowledge and to share knowledge, while not forgetting access to care or food independence. It is therefore necessary, she stressed, to continue to rally to the cause. (EH/transl.jl)