European Parliament rebels over ACTA secrecy

The ACTA treaty will set global rules for copyright enforcement

The European Parliament has voted by 633 to 13 on a motion to make the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations open to public scrutiny.

Governments around the world have been negotiating the ACTA treaty in secret for the past year.

The treaty would set global rules for copyright enforcement, but early drafts, which have included giving customs officers the right to search electronic devices for pirated software and music, have only been leaked, not officially released.

"The European Commission and the European Council should grant public and parliamentary access to the ACTA negotiation texts, and MEPs should be fully informed in good time about their initiatives," said the European Parliament resolution.

ACTA provisions "should not affect global access to legitimate, affordable and safe medicinal products, including innovative and generic products", it added.

The resolution also ruled out the introduction of a 'three strikes' rule for internet users accused of downloading pirated material.

The European Parliament reprimanded the European Union for conducting the negotiations in secret, since it has an obligation under the Treaty of Lisbon to keep the Parliament informed of international treaty negotiations.

"This is great news. Basically we've been pushing this and we're not alone. The whole process is fatally flawed," Art Brodsky, communications director at US think-tank Public Knowledge, told V3.co.uk.

"We've had some grudging movement on this side of the Atlantic - they have shifted from just letting the industry see the documents - but the vote adds real impetus to attempts to get the whole picture."