Transparency and state of play of the ACTA negotiations (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement)

24.2.2010

ORAL QUESTION WITH DEBATE O-0026/10
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Carl Schlyter, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Daniel Caspary, on behalf of the PPE Group, Kader Arif, on behalf of the S&D Group, Niccolò Rinaldi, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Helmut Scholz, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Syed Kamall, on behalf of the ECR Group
to the Commission

Parliament has on various occasions called on the Commission and Council to ensure the widest possible access to ACTA documents, notably in its reports of 18 Dec 2008 (Susta Report, P6_TA(2008)0634, paragraphs 14, 28) and 11 March 2009 (Cashman Report, P6_TA(2009)0114), paragraph 26 of which reads: ‘The Commission should immediately make all documents related to the ongoing international negotiations on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) publicly available’.

 

In its Resolution of 9 February 2010 on a Framework Agreement with the Commission (P7_TA(2009)0009) Parliament demands immediate and full information at every stage of negotiations on international agreements, in particular on trade matters and other negotiations involving the consent procedure, to give full effect to Article 218 TFEU. On 27 January 2010 the Commission gave assurances of its commitment to a reinforced association with Parliament in the terms of this resolution.

 

When will the Commission grant Parliament access to all primary texts relating to ACTA, in particular the ACTA negotiation mandate by the Council, the minutes of ACTA negotiation meetings, the draft chapters of ACTA, and the comments of ACTA participants on the draft chapters?

 

Has the Commission carried out an impact assessment of the effect of ACTA’s implementation on e-trade in the EU and worldwide? How will the Commission ensure that enforcement of ACTA internet provisions are fully in line with the acquis and how will it redress any incompatibilities?

 

Does the Commission agree that access to ACTA documents should be given to Parliament before the new Framework Agreement comes into effect?

 

 

Tabled: 24.02.2010

Forwarded: 26.02.2010

Deadline for reply: 05.03.2010