ACTA
ACTA analysis: The world faces major challenges
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Spring 2012, the European Commission asked the Court of Justice of the European Union its opinion on whether the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is compatible with the European Treaties, in particular with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The European Parliament did not wait for the court’s opinion and rejected ACTA on 4 July 2012 in a 478 to 39 vote with 165 abstentions. The commission did not withdraw its request for an opinion after the parliament’s decision. The commission announced that if the court finds ACTA compatible with the European Treaties, it may re-propose ACTA to the parliament. The world faces major challenges: access to medicine, diffusion of green technology needed to fight climate change, and a balanced Internet governance.