100 non-profit organizations demand that the ACTA process opens up to public scrutiny. ACTA, or Anti-Counterfeit Trade Agreement, is an international intellectual-property convention that according to some interpretations could mean stricter control of technological innovation and new powers to customs-control employees. Most alarming are the speculations that laptops and mp3-players could be searched when taken through customs.
Two ACTA-meetings have taken place, the latest in Washington DC. Since the meetings are classified, it’s virtually impossible to find out what the negotiations have so far resulted in. Issues that have been discussed are customs regulation and legal tools for civil-court IP-infringement procedures.
At upcoming meetings, the really sensitive issues will be brought up – copyright infringement on the Internet and criminal-law measures. In addition to this, the parties will discuss establishing an international task force to fight intellectual-property violations. The task force will make sure that countries signing the ACTA agreement stick to the regulation.
Many are worried about new legislation that we might need to implement as a result of ACTA commitments. These concerns may be justified. However, the purpose of ACTA is something else – to establish a new IP-regime without third-world countries at the negotiation table. Once ACTA is in place, the plan it to make more countries join.
So why should countries that have little to benefit from extended intellectual monopolies join ACTA? A not too far-fetched theory is that the ACTA treaty will be attached to future third-country trade agreements. Countries that refuse to sign don’t get access to the European and American markets.
