SOCIALISTS AND DEMOCRATS WILL PROPOSE ALTERNATIVES TO ACTA

 the president of the S&D Group in the European Parliament, Hannes Swoboda, announced that they will propose alternatives to ACTA.

Mr Swoboda said: "Counterfeiting is a real problem in Europe and we need to address it. ACTA points at the right problems but gives the wrong answers. It would not be effective and it would endanger fundamental rights.

"That is why the S&D Group, as we decided yesterday, will make alternative proposals to address both counterfeiting of goods – which has a very negative effect on jobs in the EU – and copyright.

"We will already start presenting proposals on how to modernise protection of copyright in a digital environment at a public hearing on June 6 on collective rights management. We must build a legal framework that will allow digital business to flourish, which at the same protects creativity and authors' rights as well as data protection and net neutrality. This is one of the challenges of our time.

"When ACTA is dead, we want the Commission to present two different legislative proposals.

"The EU must negotiate solutions to counterfeiting and trademark protection within the World Trade Organization framework.

"The other proposal should deal with infringements in the digital environment. In the Parliament, we will fight for a balanced revision of the Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive and for a Data Protection Package which will reinforce protection for users and will guarantee the independence of Internet Service Providers."