Dutch Parliament says no to European criminal law against IP violations

From the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure FFII, Dutch Parliament says no to European criminal law against IP violations

"The Hague, June 29th 2006. Both Chambers of the Dutch Parliament (Staten-Generaal) have unanimously concluded that the European Commission has no competence to propose a directive to criminalise intellectual property violations. According to the Parliament, the Commission interprets a recent European Court of Justice decision (C-176/03) too broadly. It is the first time Brussels interferes with criminal measures without the member states having a veto.

After concluding the Commission lacks competence there was no need to investigate the proposal any further. Nonetheless both Chambers submitted the directive to the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality and concluded that the proposal fails to meet these tests too. "