EU’s ‘warped’ directive
p2pnet.net News:- March 8 is the date the European Union’s Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive goes up for the start of the full debate in the EU Plenary.
Its "dangerously bloated scope remains a major concern for consumers" and to maintain a balance between consumer rights and the legitimate enforcement of intellectual property rights, "the directive must be narrowed to cases involving commercial infringement or counterfeiting only," says IP Justice executive director Robin Gross.
The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) says, "the directive doesn’t distinguish between unintentional, non-commercial infringers and for-profit, criminal counterfeiting organizations. If this directive is adopted, a person who unwittingly infringes copyright – even if it has no effect on the market – could potentially have her [or his] assets seized, bank accounts frozen and home invaded.”
Calling the Intellectual Property Directive "warped," the EFF wants European supporters to write to their Members of the European Parliament, urging them to "limit these harsh enforcement measures to cases in which infringement is undertaken intentionally and for commercial purposes".
If you want to add your voice, go here for a list of addresses, and a sample letter.
