Det här mejlet skickades till mig från Eurochambres:

Subject line: SMEs need ACTA

Dear Ms. Amelia Andersdotter,

In view of the upcoming vote on ACTA in the INTA Committee on Thursday, June 21st, we invite you to read SMEs’ expectations on ACTA.

In recent months, pirates have waged a viral campaign against ACTA with the objective to convince EU citizens that the draft trade agreement will restrict their freedom and undermine their privacy rights. This campaign based on misinformation, must be handled with utmost care.

In the mean time, have you wondered why EU based SMEs seek to preserve the treaty? EUROCHAMBRES estimates that 95% of Community trademarks are registered by SMEs and not for profit organisations. About 50% of patents are registered by SMEs and universities. And SMEs, by producing artistic work such as paintings, photography, architecture, technical drawing, musical compositions, theatre etc. are the bulk of copyrights holders.

SMEs feel that they are not effectively protected. SMEs hold IP rights, innovate and invest in marketing costs to distinguish their products from competitors. They create value and ask for an effective protection of it! They expect that ACTA will facilitate the enforcement of their rights. Without efficient enforcement, their IP rights are useless. The problem is global; the EU cannot solve it alone. This is why SMEs need ACTA.

We recognise the importance of the protection of fundamental rights within the EU legal framework and we believe that the Draft Agreement contains safeguards for the freedom of expression and privacy. But if you have doubts about it, we ask you to vote in favour of amendment 3 tabled by Syed Kamall, recommending that the Parliament suspends its vote on consent to ACTA until the Court of Justice of the European Union issues its opinion on the compatibility of the Draft Agreement with the Treaties. The Court’s opinion will certainly lift any doubts with regard to the protection of fundamental right.

We therefore ask you to resist the pressure generated by this misleading anti ACTA campaign, and to defend the treaty for the good of the EU economy, growth and jobs by voting either in favour of amendment 1 and 2 or, if you continue to doubt the compatibility of the Draft Agreement with the Treaties, in favour of amendment 3.

Varpå jag svarade:

Dear Mr,

I still fail to comprehend why ACTA would be the measure really needed by SMEs. It seems to me that you are falling into the same trap as some of my colleagues, assuming that anything which pretends to protect IPRs is by necessity the most desirable outcome, whereas in fact it would be good also for SMEs to consider - what measures do you need? Most studies performed by the Commission or independent researchers show for instance that SMEs have huge problems gathering capital and primarily time for court battles with large entities which would seek to wrongfully exploit their materials. This brings considerable legal uncertainty.

Which particular paragraphs of ACTA help SMEs address these problems, the way you see it? It is slightly agitating that proponents of this agreement have consistently failed to bring up any arguments in favour of the agreement other than that it contains the word "intellectual property rights".

best regards,

Det gör mig lite irriterad att de som fortfarande förespråkar avtalet inte bryr sig om att på något sätt argumentera för någonting särskilt utom just existensen av ordet immaterialrätt i avtalstexten. Tänk om det istället skulle gå lika finemang att lobba in begreppet "världsfred".

Vi får se om det kommer något svar.