Brussels, 28/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 28 February, as the first debates at the European Parliament began on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), the Parliament had a petition referred to it, signed by the NGO Avaaz.org. The petition was against ACTA, and called on MEPs to “stand for a free and open internet and reject the ratification of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement”. In just a few weeks, it has been signed by almost 2.5 million people.
Contribution to the public debate. Chaired by Emina Mazzoni (EPP, Italy), the petitions committee at the Parliament will now take a stance on the petition's admissibility at its next meeting on 19-20 March. If the petition is declared admissible - that is, if it falls within the EU's sphere of competence - the committee will then hold an open discussion with the petitioners, experts, the European Commission and other stakeholders, who will contribute to the public debate launched in the Parliament this week. In recent weeks, Mazzoni has also received letters from European citizens and organisations in favour of ACTA, including the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers.
Strong democratic move and political act. The ecologist, Sandrine Bélier (Greens/EFA, France), who has long fought against an agreement that she deems obscure when it comes to impact on fundamental freedoms, especially its chapter on digital counterfeiting and illegal downloading, hailed the fact that a petition had been submitted. She recalled that European citizens are keen on their rights and freedoms guaranteed by the EU, and sees those rights as threatened by ACTA due to internet policing and the attack on civil liberties, restricted access to knowledge and the sharing of knowledge, and the obstacles to the free movement of generic medicines. She believes the petition also shows that European citizens have confidence in their parliament and that they call upon it to play its role to the full as a representative of the citizens and guarantor of public interest against major industrial lobbies. This approach, Bélier concluded, is a strong political act for reaffirming the independence of the European Parliament against the Commission and Council. (EH/transl.jl)