Parliament votes bring ACTA closer to final rejection / European Parliament rejects ACTA

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was rejected on the 31 May 2012 by all three subsidiary Committees advising the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament. Their positions are not binding on the Trade Committee, which would adopt its own position as lead committee on 21 June 2012 (see below)

Civil Liberties MEPs said ACTA failed to respect the EU's fundamental rights and the Industry Committee said it does not balance the rights and freedoms of the different stakeholders. The Legal Affairs Committee voted narrowly against a recommendation to approve the controversial Agreement.

The European Parliament should say NO to the Anti-Countefeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), said the International Trade Committee in a vote on the 21 June 2012. Thursday. Nineteen MEPs voted against ACTA, and twelve in favour, with no abstentions.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), was rejected by the European Parliament on the 4 July 2012, and hence cannot become law in the EU. This was the first time that Parliament exercised its Lisbon Treaty power to reject an international trade agreement. 478 MEPs voted against ACTA, 39 in favour, and 165 abstained.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Update on ACTA's referral to the European Court of Justice http://www.europeansources.info/record/update-on-actas-referral-to-the-european-court-of-justice/

European Parliament: Press Release, 31.5.12: ACTA rejected by three EP committees http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pressroom/content/20120529IPR45936/

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

European Commission: ACTA - Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement http://ec.europa.eu/trade/tackling-unfair-trade/acta/

Libération / Les Echos, 1.6.12: ACTA to get the axe (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/2100881-acta-get-axe

EUObserver, 15.6.12: Acta on the brink as MEPs prepare for key vote http://euobserver.com/871/116640

Deutsche Welle, 21.6.12: Anti-piracy treaty falters in EU Parliament http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16040948,00.html

European Parliament: Press Release, 21.6.12: Parliament should say NO to ACTA, says International Trade Committee http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pressroom/content/20120614IPR46889/

EurActiv, 22.6.12: MEPs to 'finish off' ACTA on 4 July http://www.euractiv.com/future-eu/meps-finish-acta-4-july-news-513486

EUObserver, 22.6.12: Anti-counterfeit treaty faces make-or-break vote in July http://euobserver.com/871/116717

Rzeczpospolita, 4.7.12: MEPs vote down ACTA (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/2294561-meps-vote-down-acta

EUObserver, 4.7.12: Acta in tatters after MEPs wield veto http://euobserver.com/843/116866

European Parliament: Press Release, 4.7.12: European Parliament rejects ACTA http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pressroom/content/20120703IPR48247/

BBC News, 4.7.12: Acta: Controversial anti-piracy agreement rejected by EU http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18704192

Deutsche Welle, 4.7.12: EU parliamentarians reject ACTA http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16070495,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 4.7.12: Intellectual Property Treaty Dies in European Parliament http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/acta-international-property-treaty-voted-down-by-european-parliament-a-842583.html

EurActiv, 5.7.12: Goodbye ACTA: EU Parliament rejects anti-piracy treaty http://www.euractiv.com/infosociety/goodbye-acta-meps-flex-muscles-a-news-513736

Mediapart / Gazeta Wyborcza / Rzeczpospolita / Corriere della Sera / Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 5.7.12: Victory over ACTA comes at a price (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/press-review/2302101-victory-over-acta-comes-price

EUObserver, 12.7.12: Commission set for fresh collision course over Acta copy-cat clauses http://euobserver.com/19/116944

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