Parliament threatens court action on anti-piracy treaty

In 2007, the EU and a number of other WTO members began work on a new international agreement – the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The EU's objective with ACTA partners is to have a new plurilateral treaty improving global standards for the enforcement of IPR, to more effectively combat trade in counterfeit and pirated goods.

EurActiv reports that on the 10 March 2010 the European Parliament defied the European Commission bycasting a vote against a draft agreement and threatening to take legal action at the European Court of Justice.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Brussels denies rumours of secret anti-piracy treaty http://www.europeansources.info/record/brussels-denies-rumours-of-secret-anti-piracy-treaty/

European Parliament: Press Release, 10.3.10: Anti-counterfeiting agreement: Parliament must be kept fully informed http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/026-70281-067-03-11-903-20100309IPR70280-08-03-2010-2010-false/default_en.htm

Wikipedia: Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Counterfeiting_Trade_Agreement

European Commission: DG Trade: Creating opportunities: Trade topics: Intellectual property: Anti-counterfeiting: ACTA http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/trade-topics/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeiting/

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