European Parliament rejects ACTA piracy treaty ACTA aims to protect the intellectual property in both digital and physical goods, and has proved divisive because it was negotiated largely in secret and had originally proposed criminal sanctions for those who used the internet to break copyright. It would tighten up the enforcement and definition of copyright theft, which is particularly controversial for web users who routinely share digital versions of music, films and software. Although ACTA could theoretically come into force because some nations have signed it independently, without global agreement the treaty would effectively become irrelevant. Peter Bradwell, of Open Rights Group said "MEPs have listened to the many, many thousands of people across Europe who have consistently demanded that this flawed treaty is kicked out." David Martin MEP said new measures to deter music, film and software piracy were likely to take two years before they came into force. Mr Martin stepped in to become the Treaty's rapporteur in the European parliament after the resignation of Kader Arif, who condemned the process of secret talks. Mr Martin said that the treaty would not effectively tackle online piracy, and recommended Parliament reject it. He added however that the debate, which involved protests in some capitals, had become "unnecessarily hysterical." He claimed the treaty "never seriously proposed" a divisive "three-strikes and you're out" policy of disconnecting pirates from the web. Mr Martin said new legislation was needed to regulate the internet, but that the part of ACTA that dealt with counterfeit physical goods should not be combined with digital proposals. He added that the existing system of "notice and takedown" for content on the web should be better and more consistently applied across Europe, and said ""I hope the commission will not think there is an anti intellectual property agenda in the parliament."