Parliament responds to EDRi's ACTA document request

The European Parliament has finally
responded to our request for documents in relation to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Access to documents is very important since much of the wording of the agreement is very unclear. In such cases, preparatory documents are used to discover the intentions of the negotiators. Without access to those documents a proper democratic process is impossible.

Despite having voted four times in favour of texts promoting transparency in this dossier, the Parliament has decided not to grant access to most of the documents. The following is a list of all the documents in the possession of the Parliament with links to the documents shared with EDRi:

a) Draft consolidated text of the ACTA agreement

1. (Access refused) Draft January 2010, after Seoul Round

2. (Access refused) Draft February 2010, after Guadalajara Round

3. (Access refused) Draft April 2010, after Wellington Round

4. Consolidated Text
prepared for Public release, April 2010

5. (Access refused) Draft July 2010, after Lucerne Round

6. (Access refused) Draft August 2010, after DC Round

7. Consolidated Text, October 2010 after Tokyo Round

b) Reports of the negotiating rounds

1. (Partial access) Document Ref 17109 (15 January 2009) – Report on 4th Round of Negotiations, Paris 15-18 Dec. 2008

2. (Partial access) Document Ref. 482109 (31 July 2009) – Report on 5th Round of Negotiations, Rabat 16-17 July 2009

3. (Partial access) Document 12 February 2010 – Report on 7th Round of Negotiations, Guadalajara 26-29 January 2010

c) Notes and internal working papers

1. (Partial access) Note for the attention of the 133 Committee (24 October 2007) – Recommendation from the Commission to the Council to authorise the Commission to open negotiations of a plurilateral anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA)

2. (Partial access) Document Ref (Council) 7759108 (26 March 2008) – Recommendation from the Commission to the Council to authorise the Commission to open negotiations of a plurilateral anti-counterfeiting trade agreement

3. (Full access) Document Ref 475108 (25 September 2008) – Acta Information fiche

4. (Access refused) Document Ref 613108 (21 November 2008) – Issues relating to the Future Institutional Structure of ACTA

5. (Access refused) Document Ref 652108 (5 December 2008) – Issues relating to the Future Institutional Structure of ACTA

6. (Access refused) Document Ref 61109 (4 February 2009) – Internet & Technology Provisions: Questions for discussion

7. (Partial access) Document Ref 214109 (27 March 2009) – Negotiating documents – EU Comments

8. (Full access) Document Ref 236/09 (7 April 2009) – Summary of Key Elements under discussion

9. (Access refused) Document Ref 588109 (30 September 2009) – Acta Internet Chapter

10. (Access refused) Document Ref 674109 (30 October 2009) – Commission’s analysis of the US proposal Special Requirements Related to the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in the Digital Environment

11. (Access refused) Note for the attention of the 133 Committee (12 October 2009) – Draft chapter on Enforcement Procedures in the Digital Environment sent by the US

12. (Full access) Note for the attention of the INTA Committee (14 September 2010) – Agenda of 11th round

13. (Full access) Note for the attention of the INTA Committee (3 November 2010) – ACTA information regarding next steps

14. (Partial access) Note for the attention of the INTA Committee (4 November 2010) – Most important innovative aspects of ACTA in comparison with the prevailing international standards, and namely with the TRIPS Agreement