EU Apparently Agrees That ACTA Should Be More Transparent

from the ok,-so-open-up dept

Via Jamie Love we learn that at an EU trade policy meeting, EU member states have agreed to push for more transparency with ACTA, including releasing the draft negotiation documents as soon as possible. Apparently, this position was driven by Sweden, who we already noted was unhappy with where ACTA was heading. Since this apparently includes all EU member states, does this mean that Denmark has backed down from its hardline position against transparency? And if this is the case, who is left arguing that the documents need to be kept secret? As far as I can tell from the earlier list, we're now down to Singapore, South Korea and the US. That's odd, because Singapore, South Korea and the US already have trade agreements of this nature. In fact, much of ACTA is actually based on the agreement between the US and South Korea -- which is already proving problematic for those in South Korea.
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Filed Under: acta, eu, transparency


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  1. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:24pm

    "Via Jamie Love we learn that at an EU trade policy meeting, EU member states have agreed to push for more transparency with ACTA"

    Good news, however it's amazing how these authorities are suddenly in favor of greater ACTA transparency only AFTER most of the documents they want to keep secret the most have already leaked. Where was this transparency sentiment before these documents leaked?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:26pm

    "As far as I can tell from the earlier list, we're now down to Singapore, South Korea and the US."

    Wrong, according to the U.S. they ARE being transparent.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Poster, 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:34pm

    Re:

    Which we know to be a bullshit claim.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    gh, 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:39pm

    Re: Re:

    Might have been sarcasm, though you never know sometimes.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. icon
    crade (profile), 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:42pm

    Re:

    of course they are.. after all, some stuff still got out despite their best efforts to suppress everything.. Thats being transparent isn't it?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:45pm

    Re:

    This way the politicians can take credit for encouraging transparency when, in reality, they don't really encourage transparency, it's just that the documents have already leaked so it is now pointless not to encourage transparency.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    i ate my wheatus, 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:48pm

    apparently murder is bad

    and apparently so is hitting someone with a hammer but we dont have a law stating hammer makers are responsible do we?

    Maybe we should....

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    DJ, 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:51pm

    Re: Re:

    LOL. Unfortunately running for a few steps in an attempt cover up tripping over a rock DOESN'T constitute excercise.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    DJ, 5 Mar 2010 @ 3:53pm

    Re: apparently murder is bad

    A) No. We shouldn't.
    B) WTF does that have to with this topic?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. icon
    Nastybutler77 (profile), 5 Mar 2010 @ 4:28pm

    Re: apparently murder is bad

    That hasn't stopped the anti gun groups from trying to sue gun manufacturers when children are shot.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Mar 2010 @ 5:30pm

    Re: apparently murder is bad

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Mar 2010 @ 5:30pm

    Re: apparently murder is bad

    Left field called, they want that comment back

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    NAMELESS.ONE, 6 Mar 2010 @ 7:05am

    its about the sudden shift to wanting transpancy

    Boy you guys didn't get it too bad, and how rediculous they ( EU ) are now sounding.

    out the deal completely NOW. or don't and suffer .....regime change.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. icon
    Hephaestus (profile), 7 Mar 2010 @ 4:55pm

    Re: Re: Re:

    "Unfortunately running for a few steps in an attempt cover up tripping over a rock DOESN'T constitute excercise."

    The backpedaling the politicians and media executives have to do for the months following ACTA's transparency might constitute exercise.

    definition : backpedal - modify one's opinion, make it less strong ... rinse lather repeat.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. icon
    Hephaestus (profile), 7 Mar 2010 @ 5:03pm

    Re: Re: apparently murder is bad

    "but we dont have a law stating hammer makers are responsible"

    "B) WTF does that have to with this topic?"

    It has to do with secondary liablity.

    Your kid kills someone, you are held responsible and charged with murder ... secondary liability. (iffy)

    Someone uploads a file to your site that infringes, you are fined ... secondary liability.

    Someone uses your WiFi to download a file, you get your internet access shut off ... secondary liability.

    ACTA has secondary liability built into it. It also has guilt based on accusations not proof, and your need to prove you didnt do what you are accused of (proving a negative in most cases is impossible).

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    gHANDI, 8 Mar 2010 @ 8:58am

    Re: Re: Re: apparently murder is bad

    Apparently they think we should change our law to "everyone is guilty until proven innocent" %@&$!

    link to this | view in thread ]


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