The European Commission has now received  a formal request to make public the ACTA negotiations and documents.  A narrow majority for a key  demand by the Liberals and the Greens, means it is taking  a strong stand.

** I am still checking out the final result in terms of which amendments were voted.. this is more complicated than it looks!" 

The European Parliament's resolution on ACTA (Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement) was carried today with a massive majority of 633 votes in favour, to 13 against. Political agreement on the motion had - mostly - been assured before the vote. There were however, some exceptions, and a series of amendments was voted individually and by roll call. 

As I reported yesterday, there was an internal battle over the Resolution between the smaller Party groups and the larger Conservative factions. The smaller groups wanted a stronger call for transparency, whereas the EPP/ECR version was little more than a slapped wrist for the Commission. From what I can make out, an amendment by the Greens and the ALDE (Liberal and Liberal Democrat) groups, will turn it into a strong stand against

Members of the UK Liberal Democrat party are angry that one of their own put through an onerous web blocking amendment to the Digital Economy Bill. This dangerous  amendment provides for web blocking by  courts, in addition to  3-strikes provisions.  It could usher in  a bi-directional blocking of the UK Internet.

The amendment was tabled by a Lord who is a partner in a law firm with entertainment and pharmaceutical indutry clients. And guess what? The amendment was written by the British music industry!

The UK Liberal Democrat party is in uproar over the Digital Economy Bill and specifically an amendment tabled and pushed through the house of Lords by the LibDem peers Lord Clement Jones, and Lord Razzall. The amendment - 120A -  will permit courts to order the blocking of websites by ISPs, following legal action by rights holders and could have a

European Parliament votes tomorrow to demand that the Commission provide  transparency  on the ACTA negotiations –  and threatens to sue if they don’t.

The European Parliament is to call time on the secrecy of the ACTA (Anti-counterfeiting trade agreement) negotiations. It has come to an agreement involving all of the Party groups to demand transparency and openness from the European Commission. The agreement,  which is  no small achievement, comes  in the form of a ‘resolution' will be voted on tomorrow ( Wednesday 10 March).

The ACTA resolution  follows the question-time session with the Parliament this evening, in which

A cross-party group of MEPs will now ask for ACTA information in full plenary session. 

The European Parliament continues to press the Council and the Commission for information on the (Anti-counterfeiting trade agreement)   ACTA negotiations. The latest attempt seeks to corner the Commission on matters of protocol between the two institutions.

It takes the form of an oral question which will open up a debate in the plenary session of the European Parliament on Tuesday 9 March.

The question is addressed to the

A Lib Dem amendment to UK copyright law, via the Digital Economy Bill, will mean that websites could be blocked on the say-so of rights-holders. The amendment is close to one put forward by the BPI (British IFPI) and is a provision which the music industry is actively lobbying for. Can the LibDems continue to have civil liberties credentials?

 ***Amendment 112 has been altered, and replaced by Amendment 120A. This amendment equally raises many concerns regarding possible blocking of websites. It is a joint LibDem/Conservative amendment. It is irreconcilable with any party which appropriates the civil liberties cloak.  ***

The Liberal Democrats  are proposing to alter UK copyright law, in a way which will permit courts to order the blocking of websites  following legal action by rights-holders. They have moved an  amendment    to the Digital Economy Bill,  now in its second debate in the House of Lords. The proposers of the amendment are  two industrialists, Lord Clement Jones and Lord Razzall.

 The LibDem amendment  has serious implications for anyone who runs a website, especially an information website or a search engine. Depending on how it is used and applied, it could have a major chilling effect on the UK Internet over time.

The legal test for whether the court may

In a landmark ruling, Germany's highest court orders major changes to  the German data retention law, which will provide tighter protection for users' privacy. German ISPs have to delete all communications data stored to date.

Germany's highest court has ordered the  law on data retention to be tighted up. This is the law which orders ISPs to store their users' communications traffic data, specifically records of email communications. This ruling by the German court  is  in a radical move which poses a challenge to EU law. The judgement follows a class action from 35,000 German citizens. The action was led by the German pressure group AK Vorrat, who have consistently opposed the data retention law. 

The ruling states that 

The latst ACTA leak reveals provisions which are reminiscent of the Telecoms Package copyright amendments. But it also reveals that it presses much harder on the liability of the ISPs. Could ACTA make them use deep packet inspection?

The latest document to leak from the Anti-counterfeiting trade agreement ( ACTA ) discussions reveals active negotation over ISP liability.

Option 3, Paragraphs 3ter and 3quater on pages 30-31 reflect  concepts  addressed by certain of the Telecoms Package amendments. 3 quater reflects  the "co-operation" amendment [now Article 32a of the Universal

Tucked away in the report of a UK Parliamentary committee is a barrister's opinion from Richard Spearman QC,  as per a brief from the BPI. It is rare to see such a high-level legal opinion from the rights-holders, and this particular one appears to have been guiding the UK government, which makes it quite important. As such, it is interesting to read it. 

Mr Spearman's opinion for the BPI says that there is nothing disproportionate in graduated response, even if it means restrictions on the lawful uses of an

The European Commission  invites lobbyists to a meeting on ACTA. Meanwhile,  the Internet service providers finally step out in opposition, so the meeting could be interesting. 

The European  Commission has announced a public 'stakeholders' meeting on ACTA (Anti-counterfeiting trade agreement) in March. Whilst this has the veneer of a consultation, it is in fact, not 

Four MEPS have submitted a written declaration to oppose ACTA (Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement). If it gets sufficient signatures, it will challenge the European Union's rights to negotiate on this secret treaty which threatens the Internet. 

The 'gang of four' are  Stavros Lambrinidis (Greek, Socialist), Zuzana Roithova (Czech, EPP) , Alexander Alvaro (Germany, Liberal)  and Francoise Castex (France, Socialist).  In a 7-point statement they call for all ACTA documents to be publicly available, and express opposition to liability for content being forced onto ISPs, and further oppose criminal sanctions for IP infringement. 

In order for the Declaration to have any effect, they need to get

Questions on ACTA in the European Parliament today revealed a distinctly shady Commission, which is giving out conflicting information publicly and privately.  The key issue for MEPs is why the Commission is  being  so economical with the truth?

The European Parliament's Trade committee (INTA) today had the opportunity to question a representative of the European Commission on ACTA - the Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

There were several calls for

The ACTA Internet chapter is even more grotesque than anticipated. It takes a 360 degree sweep across all possibilities  for enforcement of copyright and trade marks. It has onerous obligations not just for  ISPs but for web hosts and server operators. The Internet as we know it is definitely under threat.

The latest leak from the ACTA (Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement) indicates that EU and US  negotiators are being somewhat sparse with the truth when they claim there is no 3-strikes in ACTA.  It is clear from the document that this is a treaty about copyright enforcement and that it attacks not only Internet users, but web hosts and  the providers of the networks themselves.