ACTA to Be Examined by Top EU Court

The European Commission is to refer the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement to Europe's highest court to check that ACTA really does comply with existing EU laws.

Trade commissioner Karel De Gucht announced the move on Wednesday, saying he shared protestors' concerns about freedoms and rights. He said the referral to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) would cut through the "fog of uncertainty" surrounding the pact.

''I am glad to say that this morning my fellow commissioners have discussed and agreed in general with my proposal to refer the ACTA agreement to the European Court of Justice," De Gucht said in a statement. "We are planning to ask Europe's highest court to assess whether ACTA is incompatible — in any way — with the EU's fundamental rights and freedoms, such as freedom of expression and information, or data protection and the right to property, in case of intellectual property."...