mr president first of all i would like to congratulate the commission on finally having achieved what eu leaders have been talking about for decades
they have actually managed to get ordinary citizens interested in eu politics
acta is an issue that people on the net really care about
but having said that i still feel i must criticise the commission for the method it has used
the reason so many citizens are following the acta issue is because they are furious
they are furious at proposals to limit their freedom and invade their privacy just because some big companies are asking for it
they are furious because they see their fundamental civil liberties balanced against industry interests and coming up short
they are furious at the complete lack of transparency
this is not how it should be in a democracy
tomorrow we will be voting on a resolution that calls on the commission to live up to the treaty and put all acta papers on the table
i hope the resolution will be adopted by an overwhelming majority
the right to privacy to information freedom and to fair and proper trial are the cornerstones of a free and open society
tomorrow we will show that this is a parliament that is prepared to stand up for those rights in the information age
we will demand the information that is both our right and our due as the elected representatives and we will respectfully remind the commission that this is parliament not a doormat
