ACTA - Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement
07.02.2012 The EU signed the Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) on 26 January 2012 in Tokyo. ACTA contains criminal enforcement provisions, an area that is considered of "shared" competence between the EU and its Member States. This is why it needs to be signed and ratified by the EU and by all the 27 Member States. The other parties of ACTA are: Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.
What is ACTA?
• ACTA ensures people everywhere can continue to share nonpirated material and information on the web
• ACTA does not restrict freedom of the internet. ACTA will not censor or shut down websites.
• ACTA ensures that organised crime can be pursued when intellectual property is stolen - harming innovation, fair competition and destroying your jobs
• ACTA is not about we use the internet in our everyday lives.
• ACTA allows people to continue using their social networks such as Twitter and Facebook just as they have in the past – no change.
• Computers and mobile phones will not be checked or monitored – ACTA is NOT Big Brother.
Why is ACTA not SOPA?
• SOPA is a US draft law that would change US legislation. ACTA does not require any EU law changes. Anything you can do legally today is still legal after the ratification of ACTA.
• ACTA does not foresee cutting off internet access to anyone.
So why does the EU support ACTA?
• Because ACTA ensures the EU's already high standard of protection for intellectual property goes global - protecting jobs in Europe.
• Because Europe is losing more than €8 billion annually through counterfeit goods flooding our market.
Please share, tweet and spread this important information to your friends, contacts and across the web.
Click here for more information on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agremeent (ACTA)
