11 December 2009 Media Statement

What’s going on with ACTA?

Kiwi internet users need to be kept in the loop about what is going on in the behind closed doors negotiations of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), Labour’s communications and IT spokesperson Clare Curran said today.

“ACTA has the potential to have massive implications on New Zealand’s proposed copyright laws and how internet piracy is policed locally,” Clare Curran said.

“New Zealand is currently in talks with several nations and the EU to act against the increase in global trade of counterfeit goods and pirated goods.

“With ACTA negotiations being carried out in secret New Zealand could find itself locked into an agreement with little or no public consultation.

“There has already been extensive work done in New Zealand on copyright issues and there is a sense of unease in some sectors of the industry that an as yet unknown agreement may over-ride the policies already being developed.”

Clare Curran said that Communications Minister Steven Joyce needs to at the very least give a broad outline of the implications of ACTA.

“Some information is better than no information. At the moment internet users, internet service providers, and intellectual property owners have no idea about the potential impact ACTA,” Clare Curran said.

“There are many unanswered questions about what is going on these secret negotiations.

“Have the ACTA discussions focused on consumer copyright infringement?

Would ACTA constrain domestic policy given leaked information suggests a three strikes policy would be mandatory?

“The Government must keep New Zealand’s needs at the core of its ACTA negotiations. It must also start making an effort to keep all interested parties informed.

“ACTA has the potential to have massive implications on copyright and internet use. New Zealanders have the right to know what those implications might be.”

ENDS

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