Another ACT(A) Bites The Dust! European Parliament Rejects the Anti-Piracy Bill

July 5, 2012 by
Filed under: Announcements & Events, Legal P2P News & Issues 

After a never before seen struggle to stop ACTA from becoming an international law, the European Parliament finally decided its fate and voted a big strong NO against what could have been the demise of my, yours, and everyone’s rights online.

It is indeed a day of joy, a day when the European political stage has won against America’s attempt to monopolize the Internet. The EU Parliament’s vote (478 against, 39 in favor, 165 abstentions) denied ACTA to become law, thus putting a gravestone over its head, at least in Europe.

In theory, ACTA could still have life between the US and various smaller states, including Morocco, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia and Switzerland. However, Mexico has already rejected the idea, while Australia and Switzerland have practically done the same.
The European Commissioner in charge with the treaty – Karel de Gucht – said that he’d keep on fighting for ACTA and will re-table it before the EU Parliament until it gets a “YES”.

Unfortunately for him, the Parliament does not take its mission lightly, and we applaud that.

With that said, we can say that ACTA is finally dead, and good riddance.

We have won a great victory, maybe the most important, but the “war” is not over!

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