The
Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (
ACTA), is a
multinational treaty for the purpose of establishing international standards for intellectual property rights enforcement. The agreement aims to establish an international legal framework for targeting
counterfeit goods,
generic medicines and
copyright infringement on the Internet, and would create a new governing body outside existing forums, such as the
World Trade Organization, the
World Intellectual Property Organization, or the
United Nations.
The agreement was signed in October 2011 by
Australia,
Canada,
Japan,
Morocco,
New Zealand,
Singapore,
South Korea, and the
United States. In 2012,
Mexico, the
European Union and 22 countries which are
member states of the European Union signed as well. One signatory (Japan) has
ratified (formally approved) the agreement, which would come into force in countries that ratified it after ratification by six countries.
Supporters have described the agreement as a response to "the increase in global trade of counterfeit goods and pirated copyright protected works". Trades Unions representing workers in the music, film and TV industries and large intellectual property-based organizations such as the
Motion Picture Association of America and
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America were active in the treaty's development.
Opponents say the convention adversely affects fundamental rights including
freedom of expression and
privacy. ACTA has also been criticised by
Doctors Without Borders for endangering access to medicines in
developing countries. The secret nature of negotiations has excluded
civil society groups,
developing countries and the
general public from the agreement's negotiation process and it has been described as
policy laundering by critics including the
Electronic Frontier Foundation and the
Entertainment Consumers Association.
The signature of the EU and many of its member states resulted in the resignation in protest of the
European Parliament's appointed chief investigator,
rapporteur Kader Arif, as well as widespread protests across Europe. In 2012 the newly-appointed rapporteur, British MEP
David Martin, recommended against the treaty, stating: "The intended benefits of this international agreement are far outweighed by the potential threats to civil liberties". On 4 July 2012, the European Parliament rejected the agreement in plenary session, with 478 voting against the treaty, 39 in favour and 165
MEPs abstaining.