European Commission refers ACTA to Europe's highest court
Brussels, 22 February 2012 – The European Court of Justice, has been asked to determine the legality of the ACTA agreement, EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht has announced. “We are planning to ask Europe's highest court to assess whether ACTA is incompatible — in any way — with the EU's fundamental rights and freedoms,” the Commissioner said in a statement. “ACTA will change nothing about how we use the internet and social websites today," he added, explaining that it does not introduce any new rules but helps to enforce what is already law today.
Commenting on the news, ICMP Secretary General, Ger Hatton said “ACTA will not shut websites down nor hinder freedom of speech” and agreed that the referral would “categorically prove the compatibility of ACTA with the EU acquis”. The statement of Commissioner De Gucht can be read here: