This article provides a comprehensive overview of the tenets regarding the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The proposal is drafted by Japan, the EC, the US and Switzerland as of now for a plurilateral anti-counterfeiting agreement. The report delves further into the issue of piracy by identifying factors studied by the OECD. The OECD report highlights that negative impacts on individual property right’s holders include decreased sales volumes, prices and royalties complemented by limited research and development. In the context of file sharing, this could potentially damage the image of product sales and bigger companies due to the lack of proper revenue being brought in. This trade discussion paper is also provides information about Australian participation in the ACTA negotiations. Areas further discussed within the legal framework include criminal enforcement and border measures. These just serve as a few of the potentially stringent new plans to be carried out should the ACTA be passed.

This article seems to be similar to the ACTA information sheet, but provides a more comprehensive look at the future of file sharing and problems associated with it. However, the claims tend to blanket all issues of piracy and copyright infringement and thus leave out a lot of information regarding file sharing. In reference to my thesis, this seems to provide early evidentiary support for the ACTA’s prototype and the legalities that would come along with its passing.

The proliferation of piracy and counterfeiting appears to pose a threat to the development of the economy. It is believed that these infringements deprive legitimate businesses of proper income, while simultaneously limiting innovation and creativity. To combat these changes, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement serves to establish among nations a way to combat global infringements of copyrighted works.  Individual property rights’ protection via the ACTA will increase international cooperation, strengthen the framework of practices that contribute to effective enforcement of IPRs, and strengthen relevant IPR enforcement measures themselves. The provisions of the act stress international cooperation via improving technical assistance. This includes building relationships with organizations such as Comcast and other internet service providers to develop better restrictions on file sharing. These restrictive forces, when applied, will provide an easier way to control the transfer of illicit information via peer-to-peer sharing.

The ACTA's passing controls the future of file sharing and the implications involved in the advancement of these proposed restrictions. By taking this movement global, the ACTA will be able to infiltrate all forms of control and severely handicap the transfer of information. This block in file sharing appears to be the world's way of fixing our failing economy. Though this intends to strengthen the cause for the protection of individual property rights, this agreement severely stunts the growth of information and creativity from peer-to-peer. Joining other organizations in order to crack down on file sharing will enhance the opposition to find alternate paths to acquiring this information, a situation this agreement further fails to address. Though succinct, this article appears to highlight central arguments and provides constant updates on legislative procedures taken against the EFF.