CORRECTED-UPDATE 1-EU seeks legal opinion on global ...

Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:38pm EST

(Clarifies ACTA role in 6th paragraph)

By Claire Davenport

BRUSSELS Feb 22 (Reuters) ? The European Union?s
executive said on Wednesday it would refer a disputed global
agreement to tackle online piracy to the bloc?s highest court to
check whether it complies with EU fundamental rights.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, which also aims to
cut trademark theft, sparked protests across Europe this month
over fears of online censorship and increased surveillance.

EU members Germany, Slovakia, Estonia, Cyprus and the
Netherlands have refused to sign the agreement on the grounds
that it endangered freedom of speech and privacy. Poland,
Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Latvia have expressed concerns
about the agreement?s impact.

?This morning, my fellow commissioners have discussed and
agreed in general with my proposal to refer the ACTA agreement
to the European Court of Justice,? EU trade chief Karel De Gucht
said.

?We are planning to ask Europe?s highest court to assess
ACTA?s compatibility with the EU?s fundamental rights and
freedoms, such as freedom of expression and information or that
of protection,? he told a regular news briefing.

Among other measures, ACTA asks Internet providers to
cooperate with national authorities to crackdown on online
piracy.

Since talks on ACTA began in Geneva in June 2008, Internet
lobbies and health campaigners have rallied against it, saying
that overly strict controls of copyright would exclude people
from the Internet and prevent developing countries from
accessing generic medicines.

The European Commission on Wednesday stood by its decision
to ratify ACTA, but said the plethora of complaints against the
agreement prompted its decision to refer it to the European
court.

?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,? De Gucht said. ?ACTA will not censor
websites or shut them down.?

(Reporting by Claire Davenport, editing by Charlie Dunmore and
Sebastian Moffett.)

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Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/technologysectorNews/~3/rvS3cManvgE/eu-copyright-idUSL5E8DM6EZ20120222

Source: http://techn4all.com/2012/02/22/corrected-update-1-eu-seeks-legal-opinion-on-global-copyright-pact/

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