ACTA: No vote hurts European interests indefinitely.

The European Parliament today voted against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, ACTA, refusing to listen to the European Court of Justice's legal assessment, requested by the Commission.

"Today's decision to vote down ACTA has serious consequences and is irresponsible as the majority refused to wait for the legal assessment by the ECJ", commented EPP Group Shadow Rapporteur Christofer Fjellner MEP.

"Rejecting the ACTA flat out, without trying to address concrete concerns, after years of negotiating does nothing to handle the serious threats to European jobs and enterprises ACTA intended to solve", continued Christofer Fjellner. "Large-scale infringements of Intellectual Property Rights cost Europeans hundreds of thousands of jobs and many millions in lost revenues. Today's decision also diminished possibilities to fight counterfeit medicines which pose serious threats to the health of European patients", said Christofer Fjellner.

"During the debate, many Members argued their firm commitment to preserve intellectual property rights but could not vote in favour of ACTA. But this is only lip service. The No to ACTA will affect the credibility of the EU in future international trade negotiations for a long time, which will seriously hurt European interests indefinitely", concluded Christofer Fjellner.