Internal market and industry

Don't miss your chance to discuss the controversial ACTA agreement with European Parliament president Martin Schulz during a chat on Facebook on 26 April from 1430 CET. The EP will soon be voting on an agreement defenders insist will help fight counterfeit goods and protect intellectual property but critics fear will violate civil liberties and curb internet freedoms. Are you for or against? Have your say during the Facebook chat on Thursday.

ACTA proceedings are set to enter their final stage as the recommendation to Parliament will on 25 April be presented to the international trade committee. British Social-Democrat David Martin, who is responsible for steering the anti-counterfeiting agreement through Parliament, calls on MEPs to reject it in his report as the potential threats to civil liberties outweigh its intended benefits. Watch the meeting live on our website to find out if the rest of the committee agrees with him.

Europe lags behind when it comes to translating breakthrough technologies into business opportunities but the EU aims to overcome this with Horizon 2020, a €80 billion plan to boost research and innovation for 2014-2020. On 20 March the Parliament's industry committee questioned scientists and business leaders about whether they thought these ambitious plans would be enough. The committee will produce a recommendation to the EP this autumn after which negotiations can start with the Council.

The EP has produced an easy-to-follow infograph on the legislative procedure for ACTA to help people who are confused about how a decision will be made on this controversial anti-counterfeiting agreement. It also includes a handy timeline with important dates. The agreement has proved controversial because people are concerned about how it will affect civil rights. However, it will not be able to enter into force in the EU without the EP's approval.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has proved to be controversial ever since it was first proposed. The agreement is aimed at more effectively enforcing intellectual property rights on an international level. Many developed countries worry that their economies suffer great damage due to counterfeiting and piracy. However, opponents are concerned that it will favour large companies' interests at the expense of citizens' rights.

Does ACTA pose a threat to civil liberties and developing countries' access to generic medicine? Many people oppose the controversial anti-counterfeiting agreement because of concerns over these two issues. MEPs, who will be crucial to deciding the treaty's fate in the EU, staged a special workshop on 1 March to grill experts about their insights into ACTA. Find out how they think the treaty will affect civil liberties and access to generic medicine.

The EP will tomorrow receive a petition signed by more than 2.4 million internet users against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). They fear that the agreement will pose a threat to a free and open internet. The EP's petitions committee will look at the petition before deciding what action to take. Its options vary from asking the European Commission to launch a preliminary investigation to preparing a full report for the Parliament to vote on during a plenary session.

ACTA, a controversial agreement about counterfeiting and online copyright infringements, has been signed so far by 30 countries. In coming months Parliament will be able to decide its fate in the EU by either approving or rejecting it. But what is this all about? What does ACTA seek to achieve? Why has it provoked protests from groups across the world? How will the Parliament come to a decision and how will you be able to follow the process? Find out more in this briefing.

Mobile internet is set to hit dizzying speeds after MEPs approved today a proposal to free up radio frequencies for their use. Under the plan member states will be required to open up more frequencies for high-speed mobile internet by 2013 to satisfy growing demand for wireless data.

Renewable energy goes easy on the planet, comes without terrifying safety risks, and is by definition never-ending, so why are we not using it more of it? The EU wants renewable energies to account for 20% of Europe's needs by 2020, but for this many obstacles still need to be overcome. A new study on the European Renewable Energy Network sets out how to transform the electricity grid so that more renewable energy can be used and stored.