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ACTA negotiations divide European Parliament

Date

25 Nov 2010

Sections

Trade & Society

With only 16 votes in it (306 - 322), the European Parliament today rejected a joint resolution on ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) tabled by four political groups and adopted a resolution tabled by the right.

"This is a very small majority", GUE/NGL MEP Helmut Scholz said, "and this shows that the Commission failed to convince Parliament that the serious problems MEPs raised in March have been met".

Scholz considers that "the MEPs who voted against the joint resolution are refusing to allow Parliament to use its new powers on trade matters".

"We lost a battle today" Scholz said. "If the Commission does not address the concerns of MEPs and society before signing the agreement, they risk seeing ACTA rejected when it requires the consent of Parliament. The narrow margin of votes between left and right today shows that this is a distinct possibility."

 
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