MEP Simon Busuttil today chastised the European Commission for its handling of the Acta dossier.

"Unless the commission addresses its public communications strategy to explain this agreement thoroughly, then Acta is as good as dead.

"Tthe public debate on Acta has been poisoned by sheer misinformation, by undue politicisation and by the failure of the European Commission to communicate the agreement properly," Dr Busuttil said.

He said it was clear that unless the Commission addressed serious concerns on Acta in a satisfactory manner, it was likely that the Civil Liberties Committee, in which Dr Busuttil is the EPP spokesman, would vote against the agreement.

Speaking during the first exchange of views on the controversial anti-counterfeiting trade agreement at the European Parliament in Brussels, Dr Busuttil stated that, in principle, he supported an agreement that fought counterfeiting and piracy, as Acta sought to do.

However, the commission had to first address serious concerns raised on the agreement with respect to civil liberties and possible restrictions on internet freedom.