<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Jérémie ZIMMERMANN - La Quadrature du Net</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jz@laquadrature.net">jz@laquadrature.net</a>></span><br>
Date: Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 5:12 AM<br>Subject: [fcf_discussion] WikiLeaks Cables Shine Light on ACTA History<br>To: <a href="mailto:fcforum_discussion@list.fcforum.net">fcforum_discussion@list.fcforum.net</a><br><br><br><a href="http://lqdn.fr/en/wikileaks-cables-shine-light-on-acta-history" target="_blank">http://lqdn.fr/en/wikileaks-cables-shine-light-on-acta-history</a><br>
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*** La Quadrature du Net obtained exclusive access to the WikiLeaks US<br>
diplomatic cables regarding the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement<br>
(ACTA). Although they only give a partial account of the history of this<br>
secretly-negotiated agreement, these cables shed an interesting light on<br>
the coming into being of ACTA. They show the prime role of the US in the<br>
advent of this extremist imposition of violent sanctions against<br>
citizens and their fundamental rights. The cables expose the stakes and<br>
debates surrounding the participation of developing countries, as well<br>
as the evolution of the position of European Union during the<br>
negotiations. ***<br>
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<br>
Our analysis of the cables will probably be completed by others, but for<br>
now it seems that these US diplomatic cables do not bring anything<br>
entirely new to our understanding of ACTA. Rather, the details<br>
surrounding the history of this dangerous trade agreement reinforce the<br>
impression that ACTA is an outdated trade agreement primarily designed<br>
to export the war on sharing knowledge and culture to developing countries.<br>
<br>
It also makes clear that although ACTA is an international agreement<br>
that could have an impact for the decades to come on the global<br>
knowledge economy, it has absolutely no democratic legitimacy. Indeed,<br>
it was drafted by a small group of unelected officials in charge of<br>
promoting the interests of rights holders in their respective countries<br>
— not legitimate representatives.<br>
<br>
Finally, the cables show that the European Union has been a rather weak<br>
negotiating partner, since Member States have had disagreements on how<br>
to proceed during the negotiations. Although the EU Commission has been<br>
at the front-line of public criticisms, EU national governments should<br>
also be held accountable for having negotiated ACTA behind the back of<br>
their citizens, who will suffer from ACTA's worst provisions.<br>
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Table of contents<br>
<br>
I. ACTA, a US project aimed at expanding extremist IPR provisions to the<br>
developing world<br>
1. The concept of ACTA<br>
2. Key priority: Swift adoption of an extremist but exportable agreement<br>
3. Among developing countries, Good Cop vs. Bad Cop<br>
<br>
II. The European Union, a rather weak negotiating party<br>
1. Internal disagreements over competencies<br>
2. Tensions regarding the inclusion of Geographical Indications<br>
3. ACTA's legitimacy jeopardized by lack of transparency<br>
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read more:<br>
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<a href="http://lqdn.fr/en/wikileaks-cables-shine-light-on-acta-history" target="_blank">http://lqdn.fr/en/wikileaks-cables-shine-light-on-acta-history</a><br>
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