Dutch Parliament: no discussions on ACTA if negotiations are still secret

This article is also available in:
Deutsch: [ACTA: Niederländisches Parlament lehnt geheime Verhandlungen ab | https://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.23_ACTA_Niederlaendisches_Parlament_lehnt_geheime_Verhandlungen_ab?pk_campaign=edri&pk_kwd=20111130]

ACTA is creating quite some noise, not only internationally but also
domestically. National Parliaments, including the Dutch Parliament, will
have to decide whether they will approve ACTA or not. In order to
correctly assess the implications of ACTA, the Dutch Parliament
requested publication of all preparatory documents on ACTA.

The Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation,
Maxime Verhagen, would only hand over these documents if
parliamentarians vowed not to reveal anything about these documents.

Last week, the Dutch Parliament debated the imposed restrictions. A majority
of the Parliament indicated that ACTA could not be discussed in
Parliament before all information on the negotiations is disclosed
without conditions.

EDRi-member Bits of Freedom sent, in preparation of this debate, a letter to
the Parliament that underlined the problems associated with ACTA and advised
to not accept the imposed restrictions, as these would prohibit the
Parliament from discussing the treaty freely in public and consult experts.

Dutch parliament refuses ACTA secrecy (23.11.2011)
http://acta.ffii.org/?p=924

Absurd obligation of confidentiality on ACTA blocks public debate (only in
Dutch, 21.11.2011)
https://www.bof.nl/2011/11/21/absurde-zwijgplicht-over-acta-blokkeert-publiek-debat/

Parliament demands moratorium on anti-counterfeiting treaty ACTA (only in
Dutch, 23.11.2011)
https://www.bof.nl/2011/11/23/kamer-eist-moratorium-op-anti-namaakverdrag-acta/

(Contribution by Rebecca Roskam EDRi-member Bits of Freedom volunteer –
Netherlands)