Oh happy day!

An overwhelming majority of MEPs (663 in favour and 13 against) today voted a resolution criticising the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), arguing that it flouts agreed EU laws on piracy online.

The Parliament’s resolution states that MEPs will go to the EU Court of Justice if the European Commission, which is leading the negotiation on behalf of the European Union, does not reject ACTA rules that would allow cutting off users from the Internet if caught downloading copyrighted content.

Though MEPs cannot participate in the ACTA talks, the European Parliament’s consent is necessary for the European Commission to conclude the treaty on behalf of the EU.

I personally believe the ACTA is a major tool for power abuse by rigid copyright holders who have their respective governments’ balls tightly in their hands. Two things that make me absolutely shudder:

• A document leaked to the public in 2008 includes a provision to force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to provide information about suspected copyright infringers without a warrant. A March 2010 leak included the proposed text for this provision.
• The negotiations for the ACTA treaty are conducted behind closed doors and are not part of any international organisation.

The ACTA reaks of an amazing amount of behind-closed-doors, “I have a lot of money and lawyers”, “I own the property and do not understand the changed digital and social landscape” and “waah waah waah somebody might touch my lovely money!”

So, for the first time in my life: Hurray, Members of the European Parliament!