ACTA will be signed on 1 October

NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS will sign the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement on 1 October, according to a statement from the Japanese government.

The controversial ACTA agreement has been shrouded in secrecy since it was first mooted, not surprising since it hands over the policing of copyright infringement to companies that allege their intellectual property has been infringed or mis-used.

This of course will be open to abuse, especially since rights holders are more likely to use a foot to the door approach than a softly softly one.

There has been very little opposition to the agreement from those that are expected to approve it, but elsewhere this has not been the case. As a result the agreement will be signed in the next few days.

"On Saturday, October 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan will hold the signing ceremony for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) at Iikura Guest House, Ministry of Foreign Affairs," says a note on the Japanese government's web site. "Its negotiation has been led by a strong initiative of Japan, the United States and other key partners."

Both the US and EU expressed concerns about the trade agreement, but we imagine that this was just for the sake of making noise. The treaty offers rights holders a glorious prize, that is, to set their own fines for anyone they suspect of stealing their precious materials. µ