The controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) won’t be ratified in the EU just yet: it’s been sent to the European Court of Justice to check if it’s constitutionally sound. “We are planning to ask Europe’s highest court to assess whether ACTA is incompatible – in any way – 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,” says EU commissioner Karel De Gucht in a statement. “I believe that putting ACTA before the European Court of Justice is a needed step. This debate must be based upon facts and not upon the misinformation or rumour that has dominated social media sites and blogs in recent weeks.” Colleague Viviane Reding has also welcomed the move. “Copyright protection can never be a justification for eliminating freedom of expression or freedom of information. That is why for me, blocking the Internet is never an option.”
