[P2P-F] Fwd: [fcf_discussion] ACTA's Impact on Industry and Human Rights - Letters to EU Parliament

Wed Oct 12 21:09:31 CEST 2011

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: La Quadrature du Net <jz at laquadrature.net>
Date: Mon, Oct 10, 2011 at 10:47 PM
Subject: [fcf_discussion] ACTA's Impact on Industry and Human Rights -
Letters to EU Parliament
To: fcforum_discussion at list.fcforum.net

La Quadrature du Net - For immediate release

Permanent link:
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/actas-impact-on-industry-and-human-rights-letters-to-eu-parliament

ACTA's Impact on Industry and Human Rights - Letters to EU Parliament

*** La Quadrature du Net has written to two key committees of the European
Parliament regarding the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). As the
EU Parliament engages in preparatory works in view of its upcoming consent
vote on ACTA, La Quadrature stresses that the Parliament must fully assess
the dangers of this agreement for innovation, competition and
competitiveness of EU businesses, but also for human rights. ***

ACTA's flaws and dangers should prompt the committee on Industry, Transport
and Research committee (ITRE) as well as the Civil Liberties committee
(LIBE) to issue opinions on ACTA [1].

Today, La Quadrature du Net has sent letters to these key committees, urging
them to undertake a comprehensive assessment of ACTA.

*** Letter to the ITRE commitee ***

 Dear member of the ITRE committee,

As you know, the European Parliament will soon be asked to give its consent
to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). We ask your committee to
weigh in this process by working on an opinion regarding the proposal for a
Council decision on the signing and conclusion of ACTA. Indeed, ACTA raises
crucial questions regarding innovation and competitiveness of EU companies
that deserve special scrutiny from your committee, before the Parliament
decides whether to grant its consent to ACTA.

EU academics and an independent study commissioned by the INTA committee
both show that ACTA goes further than current EU acquis, especially
regarding border measures, damages and criminal sanctions. Such draconian
measures will create a strong legal uncertainty for businesses operating in
the EU, and will undermine the realisation of EU objectives in the field of
innovation and development of the digital economy, access to medicines or
the diffusion of green technologies.

Furthermore, given that neither the biggest emerging economies (China,
India, Brazil) nor even the United States will ratify ACTA, competitiveness
risks being severely hurt. Innovation and competition will be hampered by
the implementation of new extremist IPR provisions, undermining the EU's
stance in the global economy.

We therefore call on you to use your competency and expertise in industrial
policy to assess the risks attached to the EU ratification of ACTA.

Sincerely,

Philippe Aigrain, Gérald Sédrati-Dinet, Benjamin Sonntag, Jérémie Zimmermann
Co-founders of citizen advocacy group La Quadrature du Net

*** Letter to the LIBE commitee ***

Dear member of the LIBE committee,

As you know, the European Parliament will soon be asked to give its consent
to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). We ask your committee to
weigh in this process by working on an opinion regarding the proposal for a
Council decision on the signing and conclusion of ACTA. Indeed, ACTA raises
crucial questions regarding civil liberties of EU companies that deserve
special scrutiny from your committee, before the Parliament decides whether
to grant its consent to ACTA.

As a group focusing on Internet policy, we are particularly worried by the
provisions of the digital chapter, that open the door for yet another attack
on the rights and freedoms of Internet users in the name of an obsolete
copyright regime. We are not alone in alerting about this risk. The Mexican
Congress has recently stated that this chapter could lead to a privatised
online censorship, with harmful effects on Net neutrality (and therefore
freedom of expression), access to communications or access to culture. Frank
La Rue, the United Nations Rapporteur on freedom of expression, also
expressed similar concerns.

Furthermore, the Green group of the EU Parliament commissioned an impact
assessment of ACTA on fundamental freedoms which stresses that ACTA's
provisions "either eliminate safeguards existing under international law or,
after strengthening enforcement measures, fail to introduce corresponding
safeguarding measures." It also contradicts the Commission's claim that ACTA
does not go beyond the acquis communautaire, stressing that ACTA "will
directly or indirectly require additional action on the EU level".

We therefore call on your committee to give a thorough and objective
assessment of ACTA's compatibility with the EU's commitment to defending and
promoting human rights.

Sincerely,

Philippe Aigrain, Gérald Sédrati-Dinet, Benjamin Sonntag, Jérémie Zimmermann
Co-founders of citizen advocacy group La Quadrature du Net

* References *

1. So far, the lead committee is the INTA committee (International Trade).
The JURI committee (Legal Affairs) and the DEVE committee (Development) will
issue opinions. see ACTA's procedure file.

** About la Quadrature du Net **

La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that promotes the rights and
freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for
the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding
principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge.

In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better
understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific and
pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to encourage
citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and freedoms in the
digital age.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, European and international NGOs
including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society Institute and
Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations:
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-la-quadrature-du-net

** Press contact and press room **

Jérémie Zimmermann, jz at laquadrature.net, +33 (0)615 940 675

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room

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