Personal Data Protection Office: ACTA unbalanced regarding individual rights

Prague, Feb 7 (CTK) - The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is unbalanced with regard to the existing legal guarantees of individuals' rights, the Czech Personal Data Protection Office (UOOU) has said on its website.

It points out that the ACTA determines the offices' new strong powers, including repressive tools, in unclear terms.

This is why the UOHS will keep monitoring the issue in view of the protection of citizens' privacy to see to it that the new powers ensuing from the agreement in the Czech legal order are not defined, and subsequently applied at variance with the law on personal data protection, the UOOU said.

Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) announced on Monday that the Czech Republic would suspend the process of the ACTA's ratification to further analyse its impact.

Its opponents fear that the agreement would harm the Internet freedom.

Its critics point to problems with the protection of personal data of the people who would be investigated on suspicion of violating copyright.

The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) also expressed their reserved stances on the ACTA during the Chamber of Deputies session yesterday.

The CSSD will not vote for the bill that supports the interference in people's privacy, not to mention their "kibitzing," CSSD deputy group chairman Jeronym Tejc told reporters yesterday.

Necas expressed similar opinions on Monday.

"By no means would the government admit a situation where civic freedoms and free access to information would be threatened," Necas said.

This is why the government will analyse the issue and have it assessed by experts, he added.

According to the UOOU, the ACTA keeps the personal data protection issues in power of individual countries that have acceded to the agreement.

The ACTA never refers to the EU legal regulations on personal data protection followed in the Union.

"At the same time there is no doubt that personal data will be processed on the basis of this agreement," the UOOU said.

The Czech Republic has joined the ACTA along with another 21 countries. The agreement comes into force after its ratification by parliament.

It is to set rules to strengthen the rights to intellectual property, that is to fight against spreading illegal copies and counterfeits.

The ACTA has stirred up an international wave of protests in the streets and on the Internet.