ACTA was a major multilateral intellectual property treaty that failed to enter into force after the European Parliament rejected it 478–39 in 2012.
Key Facts
- Initial signatories (Oct 2011)
- Australia, Canada, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, USA
- EU Parliament rejection vote
- 478 against, 39 in favour, 165 abstentions
- Ratifications achieved
- 1 (Japan only)
- Ratifications required for entry into force
- 6
- EU Parliament rejection date
- 4 July 2012
By the Numbers
Cause → Event → Consequence
Industrial groups representing copyright, trademark, and intellectual property interests lobbied for a new international framework to combat rising global trade in counterfeit goods and online copyright infringement, arguing that existing bodies such as the WTO and WIPO were insufficient to address these concerns.
ACTA was negotiated in secret among a group of developed nations and signed in October 2011 by eight countries, with the EU and 22 of its member states signing in 2012. The treaty sought to create binding international standards for intellectual property enforcement and a new governing body, but drew fierce criticism for its potential impact on civil liberties, access to medicines, and its exclusionary negotiation process.
Widespread public protests across Europe and the resignation of European Parliament rapporteur Kader Arif preceded the Parliament's decisive rejection of the treaty on 4 July 2012. With only Japan having ratified the agreement and no further ratification action taken after the EU rejection, ACTA never entered into force.
Political Outcome
ACTA failed to enter into force; rejected by the European Parliament 478–39 on 4 July 2012, with only Japan having ratified it against a required threshold of six ratifications.