mr president i think the commissioner can see the strength of feeling across parliament across all the parliamentary groups where we are clearly calling whatever our differences are on different aspects of acta and counterfeit trading and also the intellectual property rights we are all agreed here on the need for greater transparency
i hope that has come across quite clearly
commissioner we are all concerned that when you have negotiations where there is not sufficient transparency we are not aware of the principles and what our negotiating position is in these talks then what will happen is that you create a vacuum and when you create a vacuum we all know that rumours fill that vacuum
we have seen leaks purporting to be official documents
we have no way of knowing whether they are actually official documents or whether they are made up but it just shows what happens when you do not have enough transparency and you do not share information
i think some of us really also understand the need sometimes for a bit of confidentiality
surely when we are in negotiations we do not want to give away all our negotiating positions we do not want to give away our chips
but what we are asking for is reasonable transparency
why can we not have access to these documents
why can we not have access to the texts
and if you feel that for reasons of transparency and for negotiations you cannot give us this then at least give us summary positions and tell us what our basic principles are in these negotiations
so for example are we going to support proposals that appear to be on the table according to what is on the blogosphere that mp three players and laptops can be confiscated at borders
will there be criminal sanctions
is the eu position to support this
i think we need to know and i think it shows the strength of feeling across this parliament that we have been able to come together on a broad compromise even though we may have slight differences and nuances here to agree on a common text
so commissioner it is over to you to demonstrate transparency and demonstrate that you recognise the democratic accountability that we all seek
