The European Union’s Executive announced on Wednesday that it was going to refer the new Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement to Europe’s highest court in order to see if it interferes with individual citizens rights to freedom of speech and privacy.
One of the opposed measures of the agreement is that it asks internet providers to cooperate with national authorities to crackdown on online piracy. Many have argued that strict copyright control would exclude people from the internet but, more surprisingly, health campaigners have argued that it would also prevent developing countries from accessing generic medicines.
The EU, however, stands by their decision to ratify the agreement.
"Intellectual property is Europe's main raw material, but the problem is that we currently struggle to protect it outside the European Union. This hurts our companies, destroys jobs and harms our economies," EU trade chief Karel De Gucht said. "ACTA will not censor websites or shut them down."
Read the full story at Reuters.com
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