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ACTA Rejected By European Parliament
Grumbleduke writes "Today the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to reject the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. Despite attempts by the EPP Group to delay the vote until after the Courts have ruled on its legality, the Parliament voted against the Treaty by 478 to 39; apparently the biggest ever defeat the Commission has suffered. However, despite this apparent victory for the Internet, transparency and democracy, the Commission indicated that it will press ahead with the court reference, and if the Court doesn't reject ACTA as well, will consider bringing it back before the Parliament."
Congratulations to the FFII, EDRI and quadrature. You guys did awsome work.
unexpectedly, democracy works ! EP win against EC !
Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
But we're only safe until the next bit of daft legislation.
Its nice to see some political critters with a shred of common sense still. Of course the MPAA/RIAA's of the world over there are thinking what the hell happened and if they didn't donate enough.
"...will consider bringing it back before the Parliament." Who do they think they're dealing with, Ireland?
ACTA is like a sleezy guy trying to pick you up in a bar.
You can tell him no six hundred times and he'll keep coming back, because all it takes is one yes and he's fucked you.
Check out my sci-fi book "Lacuna" at http://goo.gl/MVxX8
The governments themselves are doing all they can do get in on its users, throttling and censoring to their liking. They probably saw this as a challenge.
Higgs' Boson discovered by LHC before Tevatron, and ACTA (already implemented in the USA) finally rejected by the European Parliament. Europe wins both in science and democracy. Very sad july 4th for the USA.
Dear hollywood cocaineaholics/drunk singers/corrupt american politicians/etc..., f*uck you!
Just wait for Romney to get elected, Europe will find out what it's like to not do what they are told.
Retroactively adopt ACTA or face War! we have several ships ready with nuclear armed cruise missles ready to strike every capitol and 3 largest cities in all of europe if you dont to what you are told to do.
dissent must be stopped with a swift and severe blow to reinforce the fear to the others.
We have always been at war with Eurasia.
The emperor commands us to fight against the heretics.
Pick any insane war loving quote and insert here.
The united states is built upon war and thrives on war, we have been at war for most of our existence.
You seem to misunderstand how 'democracy' works in Europe. In the EU, you get a vote, and if you vote the wrong way they keep forcing you to vote again until you get it right.
... but they began to hate it too : image
The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
Could the relatively recent electoral successes of the various Pirate Parties convinced the MEPs to vote against the treaty, perhaps as an attempt to head off a backlash at the ballot box? The near triumph of the various anarchist and radical left factions in Greece might have also served as a sobering reminder of what could happen when government decides to act against public opinion. This is not necessarily a good thing but should be considered as a political fact of life that comes with the rise of the socially networked voter.
i guess the european politics doesn't need to raise money for their campaigns for office, so they don't have to go after the money from special interests.
That's why having a public finance law for political parties is so important not only at the european level but also at the local level. And also why many countries have a tax on tv that serves to finance public broadcasters. These simple concepts, are very important for a democratic society that is not yet subverted totally by private interests is anathema it seems to american citizens.
The US Constitution requires any treaty to be ratified by the US Senate. As of now no Senate vote on ACTA has occurred so it's not law even in the USA. But the Justice Department is also insisting they will enforce it.
Er, well, 78% against, 6% for, 24% abstentions. The EC will see that as a 78% v. 32% defeat, ie, only a 46% defeat. Because politicians seem to really believe you can do that sort of thing with statistics.
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
People didn't understand? They were the victims of a misinformation campaign? LOL.
Wonder how many humiliations it'll take to demoralize and scare copyright extremists enough that they'll never try the likes of ACTA again? Drum Karel De Gucht out. Force Theresa May to reconsider and not extradite O'Dwyer. Kick out the officials who are helping with the harassment of the Pirate Bay.
Then the extremists can spend the rest of their lives sulking in their mansions like deposed royalty, since they seem unable to face reality.
Intellectual Property is a monopolistic, selfish, and defective concept. It is "tyranny over the mind of man"
Just because a thing is legally permitted does not make it sensible. I'm pretty sure that it's legal for me to stockpile Froot Loops by filling my car with them. Consider the EC as being advocates of that sort of thinking.
Parity: What to do when the weekend comes.
Now look at Guantanamo.
It's rare to see the EU parliament - composing of over half a dozen groups, each of which is umbrella organization for dozens of parties from many countries - to be as united as they were now. They voted not only against the internet restricting laws but also against the kind of shady activity that occurred during ACTA preparations. Whatever the commission says now, I doubt they've got the balls to bring ACTA - or nearly identical equivalents with different name - back anytime soon... it would be such an act of disrespect towards the parliament that things could escalate far more than anyone is willing to risk "just for copyright".
I think we're safe at least until June of 2014 (next parliamentary elections in EU)... that is, of course, unless same provisions are brought back in a bill that also mention child pornography. EU legislators are pretty weak against the "think of the children" argument.
Just frickin' die already! And stop trying to take the rest of the world with you down your death-spiral.
The world owes you NOTHING.
I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
I was under the impression that it only applied to US citizens. This wiki page lists three American citizens of note that the government admits to. Hamdi was held at Guantanamo for a while, but the government claims it didn't know he was a citizen. Lindh was put on trial a few months after his capture, and never went to Cuba. Padilla was held for years before trial, but again not at Guantanamo.
It seems that most of the prisoners there are not citizens and have no reasonable expectation that we'll grant them constitutional rights. While I think the rights listed in the constitution SHOULD be applied universally and should apply to non-citizens we arrest, I'm evidently in the minority there, and it hasn't been applied to everyone.
My point is that Guantanamo is not a simple case of the government ignoring the constitution.
Yes, one commissioner has said that he's going to bring it back again and again.
The summary misses something important, though: That EU MEPs have made it very clear what they think of that strategy. Shooting yourself in the foot is a really attractive option compared to the equivalent of telling the judge up front that you're going to appeal his ruling anyways - when he knows that he will also preside over the appeal case.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
http://falkvinge.net/2012/07/04/send-flowers-to-the-european-parliament-for-rejecting-acta/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+Falkvinge-on-Infopolicy+%2528Falkvinge+on+Infopolicy%2529
I have already made order to be delivered on 9th June.
What I'm saying is that it's not the constitution that's going to protect you in that case. Your home government's diplomats, the press, and various treaties hopefully, but the constitution, I doubt it.
So, we can vote against those ;)
--- I am known for the ones who want to find me on the net. Is that a privacy risk or a privilege? One might wonder..
He must be Russian. ~
I did the math. I think you mean "get the math right." 70%, 6%, 24%.
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?