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EU Passes Nasty IP Law

Posted by michael on from the smoke-filled-room dept.

FireBreathingDog writes "This BBC report details a new European Union law that 'allows companies to raid homes, seize property and ask courts to freeze bank accounts to protect trademarks or intellectual property they believe are being abused or stolen.'" Like any bit of controversial legislation, it can change massively just before being voted upon. This legislation, which originally had DMCA-like provisions (protections for technical protection measures on copyrighted works), seems to have lost them prior to passage. (I'm sure they'll be back in some new piece of legislation.) However, it does make "regular" copyright enforcement much more aggressive in the EU, with companies able to raid, confiscate and freeze the bank accounts of those accused of copyright infringement. More information: IP Justice, FFII, FFII background.

3 of 375 comments (clear)

  1. How do they decide which companies can do it? by MrRTFM · · Score: 5, Insightful

    from the article: But late amendments added to the law limited who intellectual property owners could take action against and what penalties they could apply.
    This would be just great if companies like SCO get to have this power. The average politition may not realise what their new 'core business' consists of, and give them the keys to the IP city. In 16 months time will it be a common sight to see 'SCOrm Troopers' busting through windows of offices and razing them?

    It's bad enough with the government departments doing this, but profit based companies? Shit, this is scary stuff

    --
    You can't expect to wield supreme executive power, just because some watery tart threw a sword at you
    1. Re:How do they decide which companies can do it? by zangdesign · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The first time a corporation busts through my window will be the last time that individual stormtrooper breathes on his/her own. I'm not a violent person by any means, but turning over law enforcement functions to private companies is not right and I won't tolerate it.

      You want to arrest me? Fine, send the regular police. No problem there. Federal agents even.

      Private corporations? Never.

      --
      To celebrate the occasion of my 1000th post, I will post no more forever on Slashdot. Goodbye.
  2. personal legislation by Vega043 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The European law was shepherded through the European Parliament by MEP Janelly Fourtou, wife of Jean-Rene Fourtou who is boss of media giant Vivendi Universal.
    Nice to see that you can pass pas EU legislation by marrying the right person.