Attempts for repressive control over the market or for forceful restrictions have never led to positive results
Bulgaria did sign the Agreement on January 26, 2012, which brought to wide public protests against its ratification. The focus of the February issue of AIP FOI Monthly Newsletter was the possible effect from signing the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).
AIP lawyer Fany Davidova goes through problematic provisions of the ACTA (some identified in the Opinion of European Academics on ACTA); reminds the reactions of some EU countries, the Opinion of the European Data Protection Supervisor on the current negotiations by the EU of an ACTA; emphasizes some points from the February 16, 2012 Court of Justice Judgment (Case C‑360/10 SABAM v Netlog NV).
On February 22, 2012, the European Commission decided to refer the ACTA agreement to the European Court of Justice to assess whether ACTA is compatible with the EU's fundamental rights and freedoms, such as freedom of expression and information or data protection and the right to property in case of intellectual property.
On February 14, the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traicho Traikov filed a proposal to the Council of Ministers for a hold of the ratification procedure. It was accepted and at the current moment the process is put on hold.
AIP has expressed its general support for the initiatives of a coalition of internet providers which are against the ACTA.
The whole comment in Bulgarian.