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New study underlines rights concerns with ACTA, strengthens calls for deal to be scrapped.

“As the study points out, encouraging the ‘cooperation’ between internet providers and the content industry amounts to privatised policing, violating the rule of law and the right to fair judicial process. ACTA also allows for the monitoring of internet users without initial suspicion, the handing over of their personal data to rights holders on the basis of mere claims and the transfer of this data even to countries without adequate data protection, all of which is in clear conflict with legal guarantees of fundamental rights in the EU. The agreement does not contain ‘fair use’ clauses or exceptions for trivial or minimal infringements. It therefore tilts the balance – both in terms of substance and of process – unfairly in favour of rights holders and against users and citizens.

“Given the clear fundamental rights concerns with this agreement, the European Parliament should not consent to its ratification. As a first step to this end, the EP should refer ACTA to the European Court of Justice for a final legal opinion (2), before it proceeds with any consent vote, and the Greens will push for this referral to take place later this year.”