The European Commission has announced plans to refer the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement to the European Court of Justice in order to assess its legality. The agreement was signed by the European Union and 22 member nations at the end of January, though countries including both Germany and Denmark have yet to sign in wake of public protests. ACTA has been compared to SOPA, with many worried that it will stifle internet freedom in an attempt to stop copyright infringement. In a statement, EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht said that bringing ACTA to the court will “allow for Europe’s top court to independently clarify the legality of this agreement.” De Gucht also believes that this move will “cut through the fog of uncertainty” and let the debate focus on the facts of the agreement, as opposed to “the misinformation or rumour that has dominated social media sites and blogs.”
ACTA sent to European Court of Justice over ‘rights and freedoms’ concerns
The European Union is planning to bring the controversial ACTA agreement before the European Court of Justice in order to determine its legality.
The European Union is planning to bring the controversial ACTA agreement before the European Court of Justice in order to determine its legality.
is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.
Image source: Otto de Voogd (Flickr)
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
Aaron Souppouris
Aaron Souppouris
