Update2: Malta's MEPs trade charges as European Parliament throws out ACTA
MEPs vote against ACTA
The European Parliament has massively rejected a controversial global pact to battle counterfeiting and online piracy, quashing any possibility of EU ratification.
The pact was rejected by 478 votes to 165.
Twenty-two of the 27 EU states as well as other countries, including the United States and Japan, signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in January but the treaty has yet to be ratified anywhere amid protests that it would curtail Internet freedom.
All Maltese MEPs voted against ACTA this morning.
The treaty had also faced strong resistance in Malta, with a demonstration against it having been held in Valletta. Malta had signed the treaty but did not ratify it.
The demo against Acta in VallettaIn the wake of the protest, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had said that the government would present a Bill to safeguard the people's rights to use the Internet.
He said the government believed in four civil rights: the right to internet communication without hindrance; the right for information, from whatever sources including the internet; the right for individuals to be able to express themselves, including on the internet, within the context of what was allowed by civil society; and the right for individuals to decide what information to share, by internet and other means.
These rights, Dr Gonzi, had evolved over the years and needed to be consolidated at law. He had therefore requested the drafting of a law to ensure that these four rights were consolidated and joined other rights which were already found in the Constitution.
A VICTORY FOR FREEDOM - SCICLUNA
Labour MEP Prof Edward Scicluna welcomed today's overwhelming defeat for ACTA.
"This is a victory for freedom on the internet. Intellectual property is one of most valuable commodities of the European economy and we need to have clear rules to protect the rights of authors and performers," Prof Scicluna said.
He said the main problem with Acta was its ambiguity. The sanctions were draconian and it was unclear how they would be applied. Internet service providers would have had sweeping new powers to monitor Internet use.
"We cannot have a system where people can lose their internet connection and face criminal prosecution for sharing downloaded music with their friends," he said.
He noted that in resolutions adopted by MEPs in November 2010, the EPP, which includes Malta's two Nationalist MEPs, and the eurosceptic ECR group, welcomed the deal agreed by the Commission.
Today, he said, the EPP group sought to postpone the vote, having supported the treaty throughout its negotiation.
"I am pleased to see the latest u-turn from our two Nationalist MEPs, who have supported ACTA all the way through the negotiation process only to change their mind when public opinion turned against the treaty.
"We would not be in this predicament if the EPP had not rubber-stamped the deal negotiated by the Commission. ACTA has been flawed from the start. It was negotiated in secret and we only learned about it through Wikileaks in 2008, nearly three years into the talks.
"The Commission must go back to the drawing board to reach a proportionate deal that protects copyright without harming personal freedom."
WE COULD NOT SUPPORT ACTA IN THIS FORM - BUSUTTIL, CASA
Nationalist MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa said they could not support ACTA in its current form.
They pointed out that in a statement on January 31 they said: "When the ACTA is voted on in the European Parliament this July, we will only support it if we are completely certain that it does not impinge unduly on the freedom of internet users' ".
In a joint statement, the MEPs said:
"Today we acted consistently with our declaration of last January. After six months of serious examination of the text of the agreement in the European Parliament, we came to the conclusion that the current text does not offer sufficient safeguards on internet freedom.
"Today's choice was not an ideal choice: it was a choice between saying yes to ACTA because we support the international fight against counterfeiting and piracy and saying no to it because of the concerns it raised on internet freedom.
"We would have preferred today's vote to be postponed until the European Court of Justice delivers its ruling on the compatibility of ACTA with human rights. However this request was rejected." they said.
"In the event, given the choice between internet freedom and the fight against piracy, we felt that internet freedom should prevail and we voted accordingly," they concluded.
Reacting to Prof Scicluna's statement, the Nationalist MEPs said that for six months since the ACTA controversy broke out, Prof Scicluna failed to attend a single committee meeting in the European Parliament that was debating ACTA as it was his duty to do as an MEP.
"Over the past six months, we participated in all committee meetings and hearings on ACTA, submitted amendments and even intervened in the plenary debate. But Edward Scicluna was nowhere to be seen. He is quick to issue statements in Malta, he did absolutely nothing in the European Parliament. And now he wants to take the credit." they said.
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Carmel Zammit
Jul 4th 2012, 18:39
Nationalist MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa said they could not support ACTA in its current form. But Gonzipn supported and signed it.
Jonathan Camilleri
Jul 24th 2012, 11:35
I guess it is because Dr. Gonzi sides with the protection of intellectual property.
Mr Stephen Zammit
Jul 4th 2012, 18:10
With all due respect, an MEP shouldn't be reprimanded for avoiding committee meetings, especially when such a law is so obviously unsupported by the people. One might even conclude that the reason committee meetings where attended was to lobby in favor of the law, rather than the people.
Paul Cassar
Jul 4th 2012, 18:00
SIMON AND DAVID BE MEN ENOUGH TO AT LEAST ACCEPT THAT YOU WERE REALLY MISTAKEN.
william cauchi
Jul 4th 2012, 17:36
MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa said they could not support ACTA in its current form.
Why? Has Acta changed one iota from it's original form. No.
So why were we one of the countries to sign the agreement on Acta in the first place. Just to please somebody. Halli nidru zbieh.
M Grima
Jul 4th 2012, 17:32
The u-turn of Simon Busuttil and David Casa on the ACTA law has to be attributed to the loss of votes the PN would have registered in the next election. If there was no election both of them would have supported ACTA as they had originally done together with their EPP group.
This is GonziPN, a party of opportunists and hypocrites.
Victor Laiviera
Jul 4th 2012, 17:13
Simon Busuttil as reported on the 1st March 2012:
"Unless the commission addresses its public communications strategy to explain this agreement thoroughly, then Acta is as good as dead.
"The 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.
(http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120301/local/busuttil-chastises-commission-for-its-handling-of-acta.409242)
It is clear that Busuttil is not (and never was) against ACTA as such - just the way it was presented. In other words, he was complaining about lack of spin from the Commission.
Food for thought indeed.
Mr Joe Micallef
Jul 4th 2012, 17:30
"The 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"
That is absolutely true - however it does not meant the bill did not have its problems. But being the superficial person you are, you cannot see the implications of this. If you think the status quo will prevail you are grossly wrong - but then again what's new. For example I am sure you are not aware that things have already changed considerably because of SOPA and they will continue to do so irrispectively of ACTA or no ACTA.
James Dimech
Jul 4th 2012, 17:51
On January 31 PN MEPs they said: "When the ACTA is voted on in the European Parliament this July, we will only support it if we are completely certain that it does not impinge unduly on the freedom of internet users' ".
Laivera mhux ahjar tghidilna fejn kien Scicluna fil-Parlament meta kienu qed jitkellmu fuq ACTA ? Mhux basta ghandna erbgha MEPs Laburisti
John Zammit
Jul 4th 2012, 16:55
Thanks God now all our MEP saw the light.hope this is only as they believe so not as election may be near
Francis Attard
Jul 4th 2012, 16:34
No to ACTA and whatever the CIA dictates.
Robert Zammit
Jul 4th 2012, 16:31
I need ACTA make Kick A$$
James Dimech
Jul 4th 2012, 16:27
1. I am glad that Busuttil thinks before he acts, unlike Labour who jump on the first bandwagon they see.
2. Why did Edward Scicluna create all this hype in Malta and then not open his mouth in Brussels ? This is Joseph Muscat's Labour - loads of bluff on the media and then no substance.
George Azzopardi
Jul 4th 2012, 16:37
jew trid tghid .. (Busuttil ) waqa dak kollu li kien qal qabel (meta kien kwasi jaqbel ma l-ACTA) w gie jaqbel mal-majoranza .(inkluz MEP's tal PL)
M Grima
Jul 4th 2012, 17:28
Unbelievable. The two PN Mep's who had agreed to the ACTA resolution together with their EPP group have made a u-turn only because the Maltese electorate was totally against this controversial law. Not only the Maltese electorate was against ACTA, but the vast majority of the EU countries with the exception of the EPP group was against ACTA.
Now Mr. Busuttil and Mr. Casa are trying to justify their original action to support ACTA. What a bunch of hypocrites.
James Dimech
Jul 4th 2012, 17:49
U bil-paroli kollu hadd ma qalli fejn kien Scicluna fil-Parlament Ewropew meta kienu qed jitkellmu fuq ACTA.
I do not see any U-turns. See below:
On January 31 they said: "When the ACTA is voted on in the European Parliament this July, we will only support it if we are completely certain that it does not impinge unduly on the freedom of internet users' ".
O. Grixti
Jul 4th 2012, 21:38
James,
Few months ago, I think it was after January 31st, on the national TV station, on a particular program which is/was aired twice weekly, there was once a discussion on this issue. There were two MPs discussing this, while the MLP always remained steady against ACTA, the PN MP tried to show us/making us belief that it was a benefit to Malta and EU. I think there is something wrong with the last statement.
K Grech
Jul 5th 2012, 11:43
That shows that some knew what stand had to be taken since they had realized much of the work was coming from those who favor the capitalists and smash down the citizens, which we know that the EPP is one of those who those this all the time.
I do not see that this act by Busuttil was "thinking before acting", it was much more about following his other inmates of the EPP group, and then when this news came in the face of all citizens and everyone had risen against it surely the MEPs' had to try and change their thoughts about ACTA since if they voted in favor, they knew what would hit them in the next MEPs' election :)
There is no way for Busuttil to justify his change of his opinion, I have e-mailed him for various times with questions which had risen in the committees and for all questions he defended ACTA to the full, if not also trying to prove me that it was a good thing....
Joseph Mercieca
Jul 4th 2012, 16:26
2Nationalist MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa said they could not support ACTA in its current form2. These Gonzipn stooges will soon be trumpeting "they could not support Gonzipn in its current form" after the General Election result.
Mr Joe Micallef
Jul 4th 2012, 16:21
Scicluna speaking of U-Turns. That makes him either a shameless charlatan or someone suffering a serious type of amnesia!
Eddy Privitera
Jul 4th 2012, 16:34
oe Micallef If only GonziPN had a candidate of the calibre of prof. Edward Scicluna !!!!!!
Mr Joe Micallef
Jul 4th 2012, 17:12
It doesn't have only one! That is why you unduly impressed by Profs. nobody in politics.
Anthony Grech
Jul 4th 2012, 16:20
Congratulations to Sir David Casa and Sir Simon Busuttil for seeing the light at the elevent hour.
Rocco Camilleri
Jul 4th 2012, 16:17
Well done to 'ANTI - ACTA' for their work together to all those who supported them. People had their voice heard at last !!
Eddy Privitera
Jul 4th 2012, 15:50
GonziPN MEPs, including Dr. Simon Busuttil, today voted against ACTA, when he and David Casa had supported it originally, even though it had the same wording as today. But the enormous resistance ACTA found also in Malta , made Dr. Gonzi and his MEPs realize they were backing the wrong horse.
So today GonziPN remembered that old saying: IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM !
I hope this comment gets puiblished !
Patrick Zammit
Jul 4th 2012, 16:55
Eddy, if an election wasn't looming, they would not have joined them.
Ronnie Callus
Jul 4th 2012, 15:44
At last the Maltese MEP's who were in favour of 'ACT' changed their minds may be because they saw the huge currents against them.
Joseph Grima
Jul 4th 2012, 15:16
Malta's Johnny -come- lateleys, Busuttil and Casa, have now joined the celebrations for the crushing defeat the the European Parliamentarians reserved for the ill conceived ACTA . Gonzi has also boarded the bandwagon with a lot of hot air about preserving people's freedoms. He had no such qualms of conscience when he personally voted against the divorce bill after the people of Malta and Gozo had defeated his and the Church's campaign against divorce. Nor did his conscience show any such brittleness towards the parliamentary process, which he despises. That is where the people's freedoms are essentailly expressed and by showing his disdain for parliament Dr Gonzi treats people's freedoms in the same way that dictators throughout history have done to ensure that no one interfered with what they considered to be their divine right to rule over others. We all know how power hungry monsters end up.
Mrs Louise Calleja
Jul 4th 2012, 16:22
Yes - they end up moving from one party to another just to cling on!
Charles Mangion
Jul 4th 2012, 15:15
That Shows the people power ,people makes goverments and people remove them
Reuben D. Spiteri
Jul 4th 2012, 15:03
Finally!
David Buttigieg
Jul 4th 2012, 14:58
"We cannot have a system where people can lose their internet connection and face criminal prosecution for sharing downloaded music with their friends," he said."
Why not Profs Scicluna?
Isn't that ALREADY a criminal offence?
Typical labour mentality, "if it's not free or you can't afford it, steal it"
Wally Vella-Zarb
Jul 4th 2012, 15:17
No, it is NOT a criminal offence if it is not done by way of trade. Typical knee-jerk anti-Labour mentality. "If Labour says something then it must be wrong" - even if the majority of MEPs (including the two from PN) are saying the same thing.
John Bezzina
Jul 4th 2012, 15:18
In all honesty, can you really say you NEVER downloaded a song from the Internet or at least photocopied a page from a book??
Alfred Vassallo
Jul 4th 2012, 15:20
IF its 'Typical labour mentality' why, oh why did the PN Meps first endorse it and now they rejected it.
But I can tell you why because that's 'Typical PN mentality'.
A Micallef
Jul 4th 2012, 15:27
LOL...
Ronnie Callus
Jul 4th 2012, 15:40
It's amazing that you are being the only one or a few from around the globe which seems that you do not agree with what said by Profs Edward Scicluna and the vote taken by the European Parliament. There are rules and other rules which makes sense.
Ronnie Callus
Jul 4th 2012, 16:11
@ David Buttigieg:
It would be better if you remove the blue eyed spectacles from your face as most others have done. Don't mix the eggs with potatoes instead of saying the more exact version.
David Buttigieg
Jul 4th 2012, 17:39
My goodness, perhaps you should read more slowly? Where did I mention ACTA!
Downloading music and albums (without paying for them) is ALREADY a criminal offence Mr Vella Zarb, whether for trade or personal use! So is sharing them!
@John Bezzina
No, does that justify it?
@Alfred Vassallo
What is "it" I never mentioned ACTA, read again, preferably with somebody fluent in English close by!
@Ronnie Callus,
I think you will find the exact opposite is true, again, were did I condemn the EP vote?
I condemned Profs Scicluna's statement as quoted, were he seems to be condoning, or tolerating, stealing intellectual property, but I hope, and suspect, he was misquoted.
As to your last comment? It's based on labour's splendid track record of trying to make everybody equal by dragging all DOWN to the same level!
Peter Xuereb
Jul 4th 2012, 18:54
Actually, David Buttigieg, file-sharing is not a criminal offence but merely a civil offence.
Please do us all a favour and don't talk about professions you have no understanding at all about, lest you make a complete fool of yourself in public. Then again, you aren't the first or only idiot in this website who is too busy riding either the red or blue partisan bandwagon because independent and rational thought requires too much effort apparently.
E. Azzopardi
Jul 4th 2012, 14:55
It was very evident that this will be thrown out of the window. It never took off.
Colin Camilleri
Jul 4th 2012, 14:38
If you can't beat them join them,right GonziPN?
Joseph Brincat
Jul 4th 2012, 14:37
CHAMPAGNE TO EVERYONE
mind you , you have to pay your share
Karl Consiglio
Jul 4th 2012, 14:27
I'll drink to that
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Jul 4th 2012, 14:26
I should have also added a triumph to freedom of information which should be considered as a common resource and heritage of all mankind and not a prerogative of the rich and powerful corporations.
Jessica Smith
Jul 4th 2012, 14:17
Wasn't the government all in favour of ACTA?
Who was it that rushed to sign before anyone else?
As they say, "Fools rush in .....
j brincat
Jul 4th 2012, 13:57
"It is understood that all Maltese MEPs voted against ACTA this morning"
Obviously, when all is said and done " WARA kulhadd bravu".
(jb)
Franky Jones
Jul 4th 2012, 14:28
xi dwejjaq fik J BRINCAT ... mentalita laburista andek
I Bugeja
Jul 4th 2012, 15:11
Franky labour had an idea and persisted unlike the nationalists who most of which backed it
S Kelly
Jul 4th 2012, 15:14
how grateful i am that i do not know you - you're so boring! Dejjem l-istess diska, che palle ghal dawk kollha li jkollhom jisimawk tparla fil-vojt
R. Cilia
Jul 4th 2012, 16:10
S.Kelly ,if you do not like what j brincat writes, do not read them. La verita' offende.
j brincat
Jul 4th 2012, 13:55
Well done to FREEDOM!
(jb)
j brincat
Jul 4th 2012, 13:53
AND who was that MEP who was so quick to applaud ACTA?
Easy, no?
(jb)
pat muscat
Jul 4th 2012, 13:53
Kemm kellu ragun Joseph Muscat; bl-apologisti ta GonziPN jghidu li min hu favur l-ACTA hu favur is-serq! Issa dawru id-diska...u l-oppozizjoni kontra l-Acta bil-kemm ma holquwiex huma!!!!
George Calleja
Jul 4th 2012, 15:48
Mela issa tajba l-Ewropa? Insejt kemm kontu kontra li Malta tidhol fil-KE? Allahares il-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi sema' min Joseph. Kieku illum Malta bhall-Izlanda!!!
Pat Hobson
Jul 4th 2012, 16:52
@George Calleja. Possibli ghadek ma ndunajtx li l-politika tinbidel kuljum? Min ma jibdelx skont ic-cirkustanzi jispicca ta' detriment ghalih u ghal pajjizu. Billi titkellem kif titkellem kif kien jahsibha Joseph Muscat snin, bl-ebda mod mhu se tnehhi l-valuri li qieghed juri dwar l-EU. Kien qal, li la qeghdin fl-Ewropa, irridu nahdmu fl-Ewropa! Il-passat ghadda. Imma ghalik u ghal partit tieghed mid-dehra m'ghaddiex, ghax ghadkom imwahhlin fih!
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Jul 4th 2012, 13:48
A historic triumph for freedom of expression
Alfred Fenech
Jul 4th 2012, 13:31
Well done. Although we had to let foreigners tell no to ACTA. Cant we take a local decision
and come up smiling. We had a strong resistance here after all. Or this is not acceptable
to local authorities.
B Attard
Jul 4th 2012, 15:27
Sorry we don' even administer ourselves any longer. We're like prisoners in our own country.
Please choose the reason of your report below: