Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party joins the European Greens
in their call to discard the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
(ACTA) . The European Greens commissioned a study on the compatibility
of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) with the European
Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental
Rights(ECHR) . The conclusion of the study was very simple, ACTA
violates fundamental rights of freedom of expression, rule of law and
the right to fair judicial process. AD asks the Maltese members of
European parliament to heed this week’s protest against ACTA and vote
against it in the European parliament in June, it will be the last
chance to reject ACTA.
Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, spokesperson for Civil Rights and Culture
said, “Civil liberties and internet freedom should be protected at all
costs. It is imperative that the European Parliament rejects ACTA. We
disagree with the European Commission stand that ACTA will ensure the
protection of intellectual property . ACTA is a global attempt to
censor the internet in the name of copyright.”
Nighat Urpani, spokesperson for Social Development and Health “The
problem for third world countries to access medicines will be
aggravated if ACTA comes into force. ACTA is a grave threat to generic
medicines. This would also mean making medicines scarcer and more
expensive in many countries.” It will also make food patents more
difficult to obtain.”
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson said: “ACTA is simply
unconstitutional, ACTA is akin to policy laundering and this is
completely unacceptable. As the study by the European Greens confirms,
ACTA is not compatible with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and
the silence of our political parties in parliament is shameful. AD is
fully supports the Malta Anti-ACTA Group (MAAG) and AD is the only
party which clearly took a position on this issue. AD in parliament
would do everything possible to block the ratification of ACTA.”