ACTA rejected by EU

The controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was dealt its most powerful blow yet when the European Parliament voted against it by 478 to 39 (with 165 abstentions). The agreement has been the focus of significant protests claiming that it would significantly impinge on Internet freedom. The agreement was negotiated behind closed doors but has subject to a number of leaks and has been used as a rallying point for online democracy. Pressure is now building on other countries to reject the agreement. Meanwhile, however, much of the controversial text has found its way into a bilateral trade agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA), sparking further protests. ACTA is intended to tackle online piracy but its wording put the onus on ISPs to police their own customers for infringement.