Text tabled : A7-0175/2010

  Oreste Rossi (EFD), in writing. – (IT) In a global world where an uncontrolled, unprotected Internet runs rampant, counterfeiting and piracy play the lord and master. To fail to value intellectual property, a vital commodity for businesses, means failing to encourage innovation and growth by ensuring a just reward for the work expended.

The counterfeiting of brands is a separate matter which, as well as harming businesses economically, can also be damaging from the point of view of consumer safety. Another positive point is that it makes it possible to download legally for personal use from the Internet. It is an offence to do so for profit. We therefore voted in favour.