Netherlands jumps off ACTA train ACTA’s European disintegration continues, with the Dutch house of representatives rejecting the treaty. The Netherlands parliament has decided (Google translation) that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement can be interpreted in ways that are inimical to privacy and Internet freedom, and that it therefore should not be …
When I read this
"The Netherlands parliament has decided (Google translation) that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement can be interpreted in ways that are inimical to privacy and Internet freedom, and that it therefore should not be signed."
my immediate thought was it has probably already been signed into law by the oh-so-compliant UK Government (party irrelevant, they're all the same).
They agreed on some motions to reject it, but they are /not/ fully rejecting it just yet. In fact; right now the government awaits the result of the EU court which is currently investigating if ACTA violates basic rights for the EU citizens.
Once those results are in, only then will the government (which isn't even officially active; we're awaiting new elections) decide on its stance with regards to ACTA.
Its that reason why many politicians have called this action "Totally irrelevant" (quote from Maxime Verhagen, minister of economic affairs).
So we haven't said no yet. In fact; I wouldn't be one bit surprised if we'll simply let Brussel (EU) handle all this. That way our own politicians don't have to take any responsibility. Which of course is very preferable right before the elections are coming up.
Unfortunately our government has absolutely no problems by embedding (and enforcing) European law if that somehow suits them. Doesn't even matter if such a particular law goes right against local rulings or even makes the lives of us Dutch harder. "Sorry, that's the EU law".
(Of course when it doesn't really suit them they also have no problems /rejecting/ an EU law because... Well, for whatever reason they come up with at that time (not making this up, this has happened several times in the last years)).
As such; don't get your hopes up yet.
Uhmm, the motion the parliament excepted IS to outright reject the ACTA agreement. This motion basically states: "no matter what the EU court says, we are going to reject it." And a large majority of the parties accepted it. (So finally they are atleast doing SOMETHING sensible)
I'm very curious where you got that quote from Verhagen though, I can't find a single reference to it anywhere. (And even if he did say it, just shows him as the EU lapdog he is)
Yeah! Sometimes it feels like these are 'real' countries, listening to their people (Denmark is excellent at this too, toppling its government when it became clear there were no weapons-of-mass-destruction in Iraq). And then there are other places like the UK and Ireland, where the status-quo seems to be governments who see just how much they can get away with while in office.
Erm.. Much as D66 (a smallish, but admittedly vociferous, party) would like to be "the House of Representatives", it isn't. Neither is it part of the the Cabinet (which is to say "the Government"*)
In any case "the Government"* has resigned; is now in caretaker mode ahead of the elections and is in no position to sign anything.
* it's not (anything) like the UK system.
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