D66 Press Release Brussels 21 June 2012

MEP: "Decisive vote against ACTA"

MEP Marietje Schaake is delighted with the rejection of the controversial ACTA agreement in the committee for International Trade (INTA) in the European Parliament. INTA is the main responsible committee of the Parliament and it rejected ACTA with a majority of 19 MEP's voting against the treaty against 12 MEP's voting in favour. "With this vote my committee has given an important advice to the plenary vote in two weeks. The EU should reject ACTA", says Schaake.

Internet freedom Schaake has opposed the ACTA treaty since the beginning. "I'm doing my utmost to reject this undesirable treaty in the European Parliament. ACTA contains some troublesome provisions for policy areas such as internet freedom and access to medicines. By regulating several policy areas in one document, ACTA enforces laws in an undesirable and dangerous way."

Hearing Schaake recently organised a hearing on the ACTA treaty. Several organisations, such as Amnesty International, Oxfam and NGO's who support freedom of expression, spoke out against ACTA. She also posed several parliamentary questions and kept civil society up to date about developments in the Parliament.

Fight not over "The fight against ACTA is not over yet. In two weeks we will have the final vote in plenary where all MEP's can vote. We shall focus on maintaining a majority against ACTA" says Schaake.