For decades, committed pro-European politicians and academics have wished for a number of ingredients that would be necessary for the credibility of the European institutional framework. They wanted an effective, representative and democratic European Parliament. They wanted a European Parliament that was not just theoretically an equal player in the institutional framework in Brussels, but a Parliament that was a genuine counterweight to the Council (the Member States) and the European Commission. Finally, and most difficult to create, pro-European thinkers dreamed of the possibility of pan-European political campaigns driven by pan-European political movements.

After all of the announcements of ACTA's death, one would wonder why anybody would have felt the need to turn up to the anti-ACTA demonstrations today. In April, the European Parliamentarian in charge of the ACTA dossier said that ACTA was dead.[1] In May, the European Commissioner for the Information Society, Neelie Kroes, said that ACTA was dead.[2] Now, in June, four different European Parliament Committees rejected ACTA.[3] Was tumbleweed going to be the only participant at the ACTA demonstrations?

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Deutsch: Netzsperren: Schlussfolgerungen der dänischen Ratspräsidentschaft

On 8 June 2012 the Council of Ministers will adopt a “Council Conclusions” document on the creation of a “Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online”. In line with the Directive adopted last year, the text refers to blocking “where appropriate” of websites. The inclusion of blocking in the text indicates an expectation of failure – a “global alliance” could be expected to effectively remove, identify and prosecute such offences wherever the material was found.

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Deutsch: UK: Gesetz über Online-Sicherheit zur Sperre pornografischer Seiten i...

A new bill proposed to the House of Lords by Baroness Howe of Ildicote, requires ISPs and mobile operators to "provide a service that excludes pornographic images" and electronic device manufacturers to include ways to filter content at the point of purchase.

If enacted, the Online Safety Bill will force ISPs to prevent access of their customers to pornographic images unless those customers, aged over 18 actively “opt-in” to access the respective material by telling

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Deutsch: Italien: Fragwürdige Entscheidung über Sperrmaßnahmen

The Italian Antitrust Authority (AGCM) has started ordering the blocking some websites involved in the online sale of fashion products, following several complaints made by consumers.

It is the first blocking measure ordered by this Authority (enforced through the collaboration with the antitrust department of the Guardia di Finanza), which relied on the Consumer Code and e-commerce rules.

In its blocking order, the Authority does not charge the provider with selling counterfeited products, but for the infringement of rul

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Deutsch: Bündnis für ein kindersicheres Internet

Following an invitation by Commissioner Kroes in the summer of 2011, and founded on 1 December 2011, the CEO "Coalition to make the Internet a better place for kids" covers the whole industry value-chain.

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Deutsch: Dänischer Kinderpornographiefilter sperrt Google und Facebook

In the morning of 1 March 2012, about 8000 websites, including Google and Facebook, were blocked by the Danish child pornography (CP) filter. When the customers of the affected ISPs, Siminn Denmark and Tele Greenland, made Google searches or accessed their Facebook pages, they were met by the STOP page for the Danish CP filter.

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Introduction

Following the initial discussions in the European Parliament and the overwhelmingly negative workshop that was held on 1 March, ACTA is close to dead in Europe. What are the strategies for bringing it back to life and how will this impact on other similar initiatives? How can activists ensure that our great success so far can be maintained?