European data protection supervisor concerned over data protection issues with international anti-counterfeiting trade agreement

Peter Hustinx – the European data protection supervisor – has expressed concern that the anti-counterfeiting trade agreement currently being negotiated may not be protecting people’s data protection and privacy interests. He expressed regret over the fact that the European Commission had excluded him from the negotiations over Acta. Trade representatives of leading developed countries have been negotiating Acta for two years and the agreement is expected to be concluded this year.

The purpose of Acta is to protect intellectual property rights in software, music, video and pharmaceutical products against unlawful copying. Hustinx would like to ensure that the negotiating parties consider the balance between protecting intellectual property rights and data protection and privacy rights, rather than data protection and privacy issues being considered at the end. Hustinx particularly wants safeguards to apply to all data transferred out of Europe to countries that do not provide strong enough protection on data protection issues. Hustinx would like to see a public and transparent dialogue on Acta.