The European Union has officially signed the controversial “anti-piracy” trade agreement ACTA.

It hereby follows in the footsteps of Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States, who already signed it last October.

While this is a step in the wrong direction, it is not the end-station for the legislation which first appeared on our radar early 2008.

Individual EU Member States and the European Parliament still have to ratify ACTA later this year.

While the opposition against ACTA had been fairly low in recent months, the Internet revolt against SOPA and PIPA once again brought it to light as a key issue.

Especially in Poland ACTA has been widely protested, online, in the streets and also in parliament where members on the left-wing Palikot’s Movement wore Guy Fawkes masks.

More protest will undoubtedly be organized in the weeks to come.

photo AP