EC refers ACTA to Court of Justice

The European Commission has decided to ask the European Court of Justice for its opinion on the multilateral Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. The EU Council has already approved the treaty for ratification by member states, and the European Parliament will vote on the treaty as well. However, amid opposition from public interest groups and concerns from certain political parties, European trade commissioner Karel de Gucht said the EC has "a responsibility to provide our parliamentary representatives and the public at large with the most detailed and accurate information available". The referral to Europe's top court will provide an independent opinion on the legality of the agreement, with the court checking whether the treaty is incompatible in any way with the EU's fundamental rights and freedoms, such as freedom of expression and information, data protection and intellectual property rights.