What makes ACTA so controversial (and why MEPs should care)

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is a plurilateral agreement which proposes international standards for enforcement of intellectual property rights. The Agreement, negotiated by a handful of countries1 in coordination with certain parts of industry, is controversial in both process and substance. If ratified, it will have major implications for freedom of expression, access to culture and privacy, it will harm international trade and stifle innovation.
The European Parliament now has to take responsibility and vote “no” on ACTA in the upcoming “consent” procedure. The ratification process of ACTA is also starting on a national level in the various Member States. Since many politicians and citizens are not yet aware of ACTA’s serious implications, Access Now, TACD and EDRi have put together a booklet to highlight the most important issues. It has been translated into several different languages:

• English: What makes ACTA so controversial (and why MEPs should care)
• German: Warum ist ACTA so umstritten – Und warum sich MdEPs dafür interessieren sollten or alternative link – Translated by Digitale Gesellschaft
• French: ACTA – les raisons de la controverse (et pourquoi eurodéputés devraient s’en préoccuper) or alternative link– Translated by Nurpa & M. Humeau
• Hungarian: Mi teszi az ACTA-t oly vitatottá? Miért érdekes ez az EP képviseloknek? or alternative link

  – Translated by Péter Benedek Balog

• Romanian: De ce este ACTA un acord controversat? Si de ce ar trebui sa le pese membrilor Parlamentului European? or alternative link

  – Translated by Association for Technology and Internet

• Polish: DLACZEGO POROZUMIENIE ACTA BUDZ I TAKIE KONTROWESJE? (i dlaczego powinno to obchodzic eurodeputowanych) or alternative link – Translated by Panoptykon
• Czech: Cím je ACTA kontroverzní (a proc by to melo zajímat poslance Evropského parlamentu) or Cim_je_ACTA_kontroverzni

  – Translated by Petr Kucera, Iure remedicum

• Slovak: Cím je ACTA kontroverzná? (eaurporpeocsolabnyctoov malo zaujímat) or alternative link
  – Translated by Marek Mahut, SOIT
• Croatian: Zašto je ACTA toliko kontroverzna?

  -Translated by InternetZaSve

• Slovenian:Zakaj je sporazum ACTA problematičen(in zakaj bi se morali zanj zanimati evropski poslanci?)

  -Translated by e-demokracija

• Estonian: Mis Teeb ACTA nii vastuoluliseks (ja miks peaks sellest huvituma) or alternative link – Translated by Eesti Internet Kogukond
• Finnish: Miksi ACTA on niin kiistelty(ja miksi siitä pitäisi piitata) or alternative link – Translated by Electronic Frontier Finland
• Dutch: Waarom ACTA zo controversieel is (en waarom parlementsleden goed op moeten letten) or alternative link – Translated in collaboration by Dirk Poot, Datapanik and Tekstorama.nl
• Greek: Greek: What makes ACTA so controversial or alternative link
• Swedish: Vad gör ACTA så kontroversiellt(och varför behöver EU-parlamentariker bry sig?) or alternative link