’Wellington Declaration’ passed to New Zealand Government ACTA Negotiators

InternetNZ (InternetNZ Inc) is very pleased to announce that the ‘Wellington Declaration’ has been passed to the New Zealand trade negotiators involved in the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations.

The four-page document was prepared by the participants of the PublicACTA event on 10 April 2010 in Wellington and has been accompanied by a petition of over 6000 New Zealand and global supporters.

The Wellington Declaration tackles head-on the lack of transparency in the negotiations so far, and the need for ACTA to return to its origin as an anti-counterfeiting agreement, It also makes suggestions on many specific matters under discussion in the Wellington round of the negotiations.

InternetNZ Policy Director Jordan Carter says the PublicACTA process has been hugely successful, demonstrating the expectation of openness in international negotiations and the grassroots support for an open and uncaptureable Internet.

"On a global scale the Internet is ever more critical to people's communication and expression, and they don't like it tampered with,” he says.

"Support for the petition continues to grow online at a rapid pace. The Wellington Declaration has been translated into a multitude of languages as awareness has spread around the world with massive support particularly from Europe and North America."

"We've lodged the Wellington Declaration with the New Zealand negotiators but it has also gathered a life of its own globally and the online petition carries on," says Carter.

"We encourage people throughout the world to make their feelings known by signing the petition while the negotiations continue in Wellington this week and beyond."

"Everyone who is concerned for digital rights and freedoms on the Internet should visit publicacta.org.nz and sign the petition supporting the Wellington Declaration."

ENDS

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