Pirate Party MEP Forced To Leave ACTA Meeting

The degree of secrecy surrounding the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has reached a worrying new height. Pirate Party MEP Christian Engstrom saw himself forced to leave a meeting with ACTA negotiators in the European Parliament after he was forbidden from sharing information with the public.

pirate party ACTA is an international agreement that aims to target piracy and counterfeiting globally. The secrecy surrounding the negotiations is astonishing. Many institutions, the press and various individuals have requested that participating countries provide an insight into their plans, initially without much success.

This April, nearly two years after the first ACTA draft leaked out, the negotiators caved in and decided to release a redacted draft to the public. The draft itself didn’t bring much news, as nearly all information had been revealed via the leaked documents. However, some had hoped that the negotiators would be more open about the results of future meetings.

Unfortunately, this hope was soon shattered as the ACTA negotiations continued outside of the public eye. Yesterday, it became clear that even elected representatives at the European Parliament are not allowed to share ACTA-related information with their voters.

Following the latest round of ACTA negotiations in Lucerne, Switzerland, the Commission’s negotiators came to the European Parliament to give an update on ACTA’s progress. True to the secrecy surrounding most ACTA meetings, the gathering was closed to the public.

Pirate Party MEP Christian Engstrom was also invited to join, and at the meeting he asked if this secret setup also meant that he wasn’t allowed to share any of the information with the public.

“At first the Commission seemed unwilling to answer this question with a straight yes or no, but after I had repeated the question a number of times, they finally came out and said that I would not be allowed to spread the information given,” Engstrom explains.

Since there is little value in being informed on something you can’t share with others, Engstrom saw himself forced to leave the room. “I then left the meeting, since I am not prepared to accept information given under such conditions in this particular case.”

Room where the closed meeting was held

secret room

Like many others, Engstrom fails to see the benefit of keeping information from the public. “There is no sensible reason why the ACTA negotiations should be carried out in secret, or why Members of the European Parliament should not be allowed to discuss information about ACTA with their constituents,” he said.

“In a democracy, new laws should be made by the elected representatives after an open public debate. They should not be negotiated behind closed doors by unelected officials at the Commission, in an attempt to keep the citizens out of the process until it is too late.”

Even worse, according to Engstrom the secret ACTA meeting violates the Lisbon Treaty which states that the Commission should fully inform the European Parliament. With a secret oral meeting without any documents being handed out, this is certainly not the case, the Pirate Party MEP argues.

“That is disgraceful,” Engstrom concludes.

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mister_playboy

They don’t want the public to have any information about these proceedings because they are clearly aimed to harm the public. There is no other reason.
BlueBeard

Of course. All politics are corrupt. The higher you go the more corruption.
mister penthouse

well put
lolz

and whose decision was it to say that the topics could not be relayed to the public? do they have that authority? show the MEP this in writing, if not he just got bullshitted.
Zacqary Adam Green

As admittedly disgraceful as this is, you guys have to admit that your headline is a bit misleading. You make it seem like he was barred from the meeting, when, in fact, he chose to leave.

Let’s try and be better than our enemies and not twist words around.
Ivan

agree with #5, but still such ‘secret’ meetings should not be the ground on which new laws are legislated
Sean B

And here I always thought all those conspiracy fruit loops were crazy…maybe not so much anymore, eh?

This began as an annoyance, then became slightly worrisome, but it has now become potentially explosive. Something else is going on here. This is NOT the way democracy is supposed to work.
politux

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. As such the corporate shills behind this agreement don’t want the public to have a say. It is harder to confuse and control an informed group of people.
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politux

PS: Good article, Ernesto. Thanks.
DavidXanatos

That was dumb!
if he didn’t sign an NDA no one could prosecute him for leaking the details after the meating!
harry

I agree with Zacqary Adam Green, you sensationalised the headline to create more impact. He clearly left the meeting voluntarily and was NOT “Forced To Leave.”

Unprofessional.
duane

Write to your MEPs and tell them to sign Written Declaration 12, which asks for more transparency, condemns ACTA’s attempts to force liability on ISPs and to introduce criminal charges for infringement.

Read more about it here:
http://www.laquadrature.net/wiki/Help_sign_the_Written_Declaration_12/2010_about_ACTA

NB: The deadline for WD12 is September 9th (it has been extended recently).

Only 16 more signatures needed!!!

(If you are in the UK like I am, you can use writetothem.com — it only takes 5 minutes, but it makes a world of difference!)

Also, keep being awesome, fellow pirates! :D
onny

Aren’t there any Flattr-buttons on this page? ^^
Anonymous

I’d rather he stayed and constantly objected to the suggested rules/laws/whatever
FellowPirate

Only 16? Wow… Good job, fellas. Keep it up.
Anonymous

Good article but the title is misleading, if not a lie. He wasn’t forced to leave, he left on his own accord..
I do understand that its wrong to keep these meetings secret, obviously they don’t want the public to know what was said because they know what their doing is wrong.

but please, keep your articles accurate torrent freak or you as bad as they are
James Love

Christian Engstrom did something important and unusual, making the point that the process is not legitimate if the public is excluded from access to information about the negotiation.
Sam

Another misleading title. Also he should have stayed. Even if he couldn’t tell everyone.
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anonymous

as has been stated, the talks are being held in secret simply because they are basically being instigated by the entertainment industries, trying to protect their old business models and profits. it is outrageous that these talks are being held under the guise of trying to stop the production of fake medicines, (for obvious reasons), and clothing. like other elected officials, the MEPs are in the positions they are to ensure that the general public are protected, not ripped off yet again by big corporations. if there was nothing underhand going on, all the results would be made public and evidence from other interested parties, apart from certain particular industries, would be welcomed and listened to. as far as being democratic, the whole thing is a massive joke and stinks to high heaven!
Goto 10

But what can you do? They do whatever they want. They’ll draw it all up real good for their buddies which will then be rubber-stamped by all the complicit governments, and it WILL become the law. You can guarantee that right now, it is as good as passed already. You do not get a say in the matter. They, those with power, do what they want, for themselves.

They need their heads cracking open at this stage, because they will not listen to the populace. But without a large-scale revolt, noone will do it, because they have all the power. It’s a quick call to The Force and you’ll find your own head cracked open for trying to protest, for trying to make things fair.
X

“They should not be negotiated behind closed doors by unelected officials at the Commission, in an attempt to keep the citizens out of the process until it is too late.”

Welcome to what the plutocrats would have you believe is a democracy… it’s anything but that.

The very nature of this is tantamount to scheming against the public!

So… who is it that actually decides that ACTA negotiations should be hidden from public scrutiny?

Got any names?
Anonymous

Unenforceable laws are worthless.
Goto 10

And I kind of agree that it does seem like he was ‘forced’ to leave in a way, because what’s the point in staying to participate if you cannot then act upon the information you hear by informing others about it? In that way you become a complicit part of the process yourself by knowing the details yet refraining from making the information known to other people, those you are acting to represent, and who the information is most likely to affect. You are effectively forced to leave on principle, it seems.
me

really? he walked out cos they told him not to SHARE the information? did he forget which party he was in?

Was he worried that he wouldn’t make any new friends if he “leaked” the info?

How could he be so stupid?…….clearly he needs to be replaced.

@Christian Engstrom – Tell us the truth, they offered you an incentive to leave and you took it like greedy politician.

either that or you really are a colossal fool.
Anonymous

scum utter buggering scum what do they have to hide by their reclamation they must have something to hide.
Anonymous

This is a clear example of democracy for the leaders, instead of democracy for the people.
Anonymous

If he had stayed he could have released the information anonymously on wikileaks or something.

I complained about the misleading title earlier but i just though at least we are free to judge the article with out comments being deleted.

But still, please no more misleading titles, some people only read the title and then pass that information on and so the ignorance spreads :D
me

@ james love

he didnt do anything important.

He wasnt asked to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement, he had to ask if he could share the info

They wouldn’t ask to sign a NDA

NDA’s would prove the undemocratic secrecy
Ettore

I am sort of on #24′s side here. There is no reason why he couldn’t take notes and leak the documents on wikileaks or something else equally anonymous. Christ, he could mail them to just about anyone to upload for him.

Though I don’t think he was paid, he is likely not too sharp.
FE

Entertainment is and has always been a luxury for those who can afford it.
If you ask a simple hardworking person whether making copies without copyright is legal or not the answer is obvious.
It’s ridiculous to see what’s going on at the moment. I’m not choosing any sides here, but it’s funny to think we’ve come to a point where we can stand up and say out loud without any feeling of quilt that downloading should be legal and making copies (i.e. sharing) is not against any laws.
Funny times…
Stevko

I do not see why he should not have stayed and then publish everything (not leak).
question

why is the door to the closed door meeting open?
Anonymous

He should have attended and secretly recorded the meeting, then leaked it.

Some pirate he’s turning out to be.
michan

His name is Engström, not Engstrom.
X

And tf proves itself no better then the lying, word twisting anti-piracy orginizations.

They twist words for their needs and apparently so does Tf.

Don’t twist words Tf lest you become what you are fighting agenst.
Anonymous

I agree with others, he could have stayed and then the contents could have…ahem…made there way on to the internet in keeping with pirates.
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Maxx Ormis

Yet again with hidden meetings? Is Nazi Germany coming back?
João Brancocampo

Olá,
Following the latest round of ACTA negotiations in Lucerne, Switzerland, the Commission’s negotiators came to the European Parliament to give an update on ACTA’s progress.

What the F««« has (un-democratic apple shooters € £ § ) Switzerland to do with our European Parliament ??

* EU ACTION UPDATE: KEY DEADLINE FOR EU DECLARATION ON ACTA
EXTENDED

Fantastic news! Thanks to the efforts of committed allies
and EFF activists in the EU, more than 300 Members of
European Parliament (MEPs) have signed the Written
Declaration opposing the worst parts of ACTA, helping
extend the deadline for obtaining the remaining 69 MEP
signatures to 9 September. This victory gives EU citizens
much-needed time to urge the European Parliament to take a
stand against ACTA — the infamously secretive effort to
curtail freedom on the Internet worldwide.

Keep the pressure on! Contact your MEP today:
https://www.eff.org/action/eu-action-alert-urge-your-mep-take-stand-internet-acta
Ahhhhh

He was “Forced” to leave because he can clearly see that the ACTA meetings don’t abide by the laws of any country involved.

So why would he think that punishment for leaking info would be democratic?

I would not want to have been in his position… unless i was cold and heartless like the people involved in these ACTA meetings.
tilly

ACTA = fait accomplis by the ruling oligarchy (corporate/political) which clearly only believes in ‘democracy’ when it’s as an excuse for waging war.

Your votes are but a fig-leaf to legitimize the continued, corrupt and self-interested abuse of power that they engage in.
Canadian Pirate 4 Life

First, they didn’t want us to share our cassettes. Then, they didn’t want us to share our cd’s, mp3′s, and our movies. Now, they don’t want to share any information. Come on, guys!!! Your parents must be very disappointed with the way you turned out. Don’t you know that sharing is good??
duane

@ everyone saying Engström was wrong to walk out

There was no better way to make a statement against THE SECRECY of the negotiations.

WHY is there secrecy in the first place? The point isn’t whether we can work around it with the leak — in a democracy, it shouldn’t be there in the first place!

That’s why he protested, and I’m sure it took some balls to do what he did! I personally think he’s a brilliant MEP and I truly wish more of them were as sensible as him.

And isn’t it a shame that more of them didn’t walk out with him?
Rasta

Government should be transparent, open source one might say… and our representatives should represent the interests of the people not the corporations.

Everyone should have documents to study and make informed decisions.
Anonymous

He should have stayed and refuse to sign any NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement).
Well maybe he did refuse and they kicked him ??
what would have happened if he stayed and just revealed everything that was said ?
critic

corporate evildoers all around this globe must be ridded off this planet.

cant waite any longer, must act now. immediately.

for the sake of mankind and humanity.

end the reign of the corporatefascists rather sooner than later.

mark my words.

end of lecture – EOL.
Username1

Asking is wanting to hear “no”.
Goldenboy

I say he did the right thing by walking out, because to do otherwise only legitimises the process. It’s an act of protest against the proceedings. To work within the group in order to quietly leak the information would only help reinforce the idea that it’s acceptable for these people to continue to conspire in secret in this way. If they are allowed to become comfortable in acting in this way then over time it will become ever more acceptable.

The shocking state of affairs is that, as far as I know, no other member has felt it necessary to actively protest the proceedings in a similar way, so are therefore quite content to submit to this process as a legitimate method of operating.
tightasa

Would a true pirate not have left a bug on behalf of a cohort…who could then have released the facts….Something we are lacking at the moment…We really do have to get organised or they will win.Wikileaks would have gone the whole ten yards!!!!!!Play them at their own game.They are strangling us with our own decency.
Anarkista

Leaving the meeting is a statement? Bullshit!

Staying and later sharing the information is a real statement. Of course he needed BALLS to do that.

And there’s nothing anyone could’ve done about it. The Pirate Party should have politicians with balls. Who the fuck is electing him?! Us! Filesharers! Someone remind him of that!

Pendejo!
Trelew

Of course those involved with ACTA wants secrecy. Big Business and their paid-off government lackeys don’t want the public to know how badly they are going to get screwed so that the corporate elite can wallow in greed and power.
nyx

This alone should be more than reason enough to completely drop ACTA.
whipped

!he corporations will take our rights away if we all don’t stand up to them.

The internet should belong to the people!

Please help the MP because he sure could use it right now. Everyone makes an error in judgement.

Kudos to all that stand up for our right to information!

Those people are sneaky!
spenguin

Was not sure where to post this – http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/07/first-anniversary-bfrench-legislators-have-second-thoughts-on-three-strikes-lawrings-second-thoughts-on-french-3-strikes.ars
Jeremy

@ 34 aka michan…asshole much?
Ninja

Secrecy is needed when you want to pass laws that benefit a group of industries and harm the people. I wonder how long they plan to keep this idiocy going. I do hope the voters show them the way out of their chairs.
duane

@48 Anarkista

I disagree.

If the pirate movement is to be taken seriously, we need to earn people’s RESPECT.

If our representative starts acting like a cowboy and goes against Parliament rules, other MEPs won’t respect him and will likely ignore him until they can find a way to get rid of him. What good will that do us?

Mr Engström has been working very hard to be as professional as possible, and refusing to accept privileged information under ACTA’s terms is the CIVILISED way to protest. NOT by calling them names or by breaking the rules.
m3

Coming soon, tos which you are not allowed to know so they can get you. Also be on the lookout for new laws which you are not allowed to know as even if you did follow the law, they don’t like to honor it anyway. RESIST 1984!
Spind

@50

I couldn’t agree more with that.
Anonymous

elected representatives at the European Parliament own an explanation to their electors.
If none then there was a mistake done, as a public person you are ACCOUNTABLE of what you do as a MEP. I can’t believe no of them has the balls to anonymously leak what was said.
Derc

This is all a guise under US influence. US owns all your movies and rights… or, face sanctions.

TRUTH.
tightasa

@58 Totally agree!
Brudda

42 Jul 14, 2010 at 01:52 by duane

@ everyone saying Engström was wrong to walk out

There was no better way to make a statement against THE SECRECY of the negotiations.

BULLSHIT, Duane! A better way would’ve been to attend the meeting, take notes or record it, then hold a press conference and openly and defiantly proclaim to the world what exactly is going on behind those closed doors. Not only would that have made a much better “statement”, it would’ve served to enlighten all of us to what the heck is going on.
The actions of this gutless moron just makes him look like a spoiled child that stormed out of the meeting because he didn’t get his way. I wonder if he threatened to hold his breath until he turned blue…? What a major douchebag!
Snefclarb

So he wasn’t forced to leave, like the article title said.
Strant

Tbh I would have stayed to get tactical insight
Anonymous

ACTA = ASS COCK TIT ASSociation
Faithful Reader

Im extremely disappointed at the topic. Please dont do that. You look like some 2 bit tabloid XXXXX… So misleading its hard to believe.
unreasoned anything

Not a misleading title since you can be forced to leave on “moral grounds” even when its your own choice…
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plain truth

democracy is hypocrisy
Faithful Reader

@67

While you are absolutely correct. I fail to see how anyone would think that when they saw the title. Its rather obvious it was written as it is for the soul purpose of fishing readers. Im disgusted by this. Just my opinion anyway, you are of course free to disagree with me.
dencrypt

what is wrong with fishing readers?
Faithful Reader

Nothing I suppose. But arent you atleast a bit concerned when its done by twisting the title of a news article? I can expect it from some trash gossip magazine, but not from my torrentfreak.

PS. Maybe I wasnt so disappointed if this was the first time, but its not.
UNF

“Engstrom fails to see the benefit of keeping information from the public” – equally implied, he sees no benefit in sharing it with the public, or he would have done so.

As Engstrom sees no benefit in doing anything, I have to wonder why does he bother to slide outta bed in the morning?

The more obvious explanation is that this Noob is another gutless wonder successfully intimidated by the Big-Boys of Brussels into keeping his chicken trap firmly shut.

This presages a short and inglorious future for the Pirate Party, as such anaemic whinging by its MEPs will generate nothing but deserved contempt.
AnarchyNow

What did people expect?
Those who still _believe_ that democracy is working and that that stupid “pirate party” will change anything now know the truth: there’s no democracy anywhere and the “pirate party” won’t change anything, to the contrary, like the green party they’ll only make thing go worse.
meh

Brudda, *you* are the douchebag. If Engstrom was to do what you propose, you think anyone in the parliament would still take him seriously, you think anyone would still listen to what he has to say?
Having a member in the parliament that’s on our side is worthless if he has no credibility.
FactX

He should have stayed and then use wikileaks, thats why its there!
DEKiMA

I think it’s quite obvious. The reason the information isn’t allowed out is probably because the decisions are being made in an unsavory manner.
me

@74 brudda is absolutely RIGHT.

Staying and releasing the info HIMSELF at a press conference would have been the ultimate statement and would have earned him the respect of the public and other MEPs for doing what he is there to do, serve the public.

how much mainstream media coverage do you think this is going to get?

– ‘MEP walks out of secret ACTA meeting, no more information known’

Doesn’t really have any teeth does it? -which is why TF chose the title above

This wasn’t a parliamentary meeting open to all MEPs so parliamentary rules dont apply, if they did he wouldn’t have had any trouble getting an answer from them about sharing the info.
OPP

That Christian Engström left the meeting was to shed more light on the secrecy surounding ACTA.

He seems to be the only one who is actually doing something fruitful about the matter. Why slam him for it?
Alf Fisher

What is out of the question?
A referendum on copyright law.
In Holland and Spain, it is legal to download movies without profiting.
The last thing wanted was a discussion about it, in case the people demand to be heard.
In case that style of freedom and debate became ‘contagious’.
It is about more than copyright.
That is just so the blame can easily be shifted.
It is power and control.
Anonymous

Europe is going down fast!
Idon’thaveaname:(

@5
The heading isn’t the only thing there. You can read the stuff underneath it there.
Anonymous

Misleading title. That is poor reporting. Also what makes this guy any diffrent then the people who didn’t even bother to show up you always complain about? He had a resposability to stay.
matt

@5, while I agree that it does sound like it implies that they refused to let him join by some interpretations, it is also accurate that in order to follow EU treaties he was forced to leave the meeting.

So you’re arguing semantics.
devan

Engström had better use his fullest abilities to follow up this action. What’s to happen when future ACTA meetings take place? Is he to walk in, ask the same questions, get the same answers, and walk out again? That’d be no way to have things progress.

What would happen if he were to stay within the meetings and subsequently release the information gained to the public? Who is the authority here that is deciding the information is to be withheld from the public? How are they liable to react if the secrecy rule is broken? What are they threatening? What is the consequence?
Anonymous

He should have put it up to Wikileaks.
?

He had full intentions of discussing the meeting outside. As he was not allowed to do this, he would not be able to carry out his job and therefore forced to not attend. he he attended he would have said something about what was said and then got himself into more trouble. At least he’s still an MEP and able to protest such actions.
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Azure Sky

Good on him, Sorry to all the people hating on him, But I have been in situations like that, the fact is he would have been breaking laws by staying and also going against his conscience, By walking out after making a proper statement he made others think, it may not have done anything noteworthy, but you never know what effect it will have down the road.

conscience is a funny thing, it can take a while to kick in but when it does it can cause all sorts of actions/reactions, small actions like this could cause others to see what they are doing is wrong….
Zergling

“In a democracy, new laws should be made by the elected representatives after an open public debate. They should not be negotiated behind closed doors by unelected officials at the Commission, in an attempt to keep the citizens out of the process until it is too late.”

This guy knows what he is talking about. The Democratic system is supposed to be transparent and create debate and strife, so that way only the most essential laws that the majority can agree on will pass. You take away that transparency and force votes in secret and in shadow, then congratulations, you just killed democracy, welcome to the oligarchy rule of the many by the few most powerful and wealthy.
Anonymous

“He should have put it up to Wikileaks.”

Don’t worry someone else will do just that.
duane

@Brudda

He DID make a statement, and quite successfully, too. It is said that several MEPs signed WD12 right after the incident, which is why only 16 are still needed for it to be adopted!

The text has also been leaked — without compromising our MEP’s reputation:

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/new-acta-leak-2010-07-13-consolidated-text-luzern-round

If you think you’d make a better MEP than our MEP then GTFO.
Daniel

In a democracy, elected representative officials are there for only one reason, to serve the people that elected them. They are our servants, their job is to defend our interests, and we pay their wages. They need to own up to that responsibility. Democracy means ensuring that government remains the public’s, to put it bluntly, bitch, and not the other way around. If they start to keep secrets and transparency goes away, it stops being a democracy. Governments cannot have secrets from their public, because they answer to us. Secrecy is proof that there are backroom deals that are unconstitutional (i.e. corruption), which need to be kept hidden in order to prevent revolts and discharging of the responsible parties.

As for Mr. Engström – stop treating him like he’s some unintelligent douche. If he broke the secrecy by leaking the information, he would most likely have been relieved of his post. It is eminently important that he is one politician (of hopefully many more to come) that still answers to us, the people, who elected him. He chose a way of protest that made it clear he does not agree with the terms of the meetings and refuses to be part of such non-democratic proceedings, while not making it impossible for him to continue the important work he’s doing and example he’s setting for us. A barred MEP is no good to us.
Lakawak

My guess is the Writers WAnted ad at torrent freak goes someting like this “Must have no journalism skills, no desire to do research. The proclivity to be a whining bitch is a must. Facting checking is a minus.”
Lynne Wildgrove

Now thats jsut totally insane no matter how you cut it dude

privacy-tools.es.tc
Bobe-On (Anarchy And Pirates)

Forget parties; forget governments.
Oh and check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7Nxa3n1w9s

:)
Agon

“Since there is little value in being informed on something you can’t share with others, Engstrom saw himself forced to leave the room. ‘I then left the meeting, since I am not prepared to accept information given under such conditions in this particular case.’”

in my opinion, that might have been a bad move Engstrom, even if you officially aren’t allowed to share that information it doesn’t mean that the info won’t spread on inofficial channels anyway.
What I find slightly careless is that he left even before he himself had a chance to hear the meeting. which actually means that he threw away what could have been vital information for future campaigns.

We live in a time when information, no matter how trivial, can make a big difference depending on how it’s used. So stop tossing ammunition overboard.
Anonymous

You can understand the actions of politicians by assuming the only thing they want is power. And power comes from votes.

So, in the US politicians listen to lobbyists because they can donate tons of money to their campaign. I guess you can bring back faith in your integrity with enough advertising. Then, US politicians put pressure on politicians in other countries with more sane lobbying regulations (EU, Canada, most of the world). Foreign politicians, fearing that America will put sanctions on their countries, causing economic (and therefore political) disaster, do what the US says. So every time the RIAA buys a congressman, they get a hundred MPs for free.

The secrecy behind ACTA is designed to smooth over this disgusting violation of democratic principles. By conducting the meeting in secret, they can come up with a document written by lobbyists, then claim that they fought for every compromise. All the nasty clauses will supposedly be written by other countries, when in reality they were all in it together.

Then it will be international law, and every country had better ratify it or face the consequences.
adam

This MEP, should have said notified them he will talk about the meeting, not asking if it was allowed to do so.

He went about it arse end and its resulted in us knowing less about meetings.

Thanks Pirate Pary MEP, fail.

Will write to my MEP about this.
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Henrik Holst

What good would come of him staying and releasing the information?

We have learned time and time again that whenever there is ACTA info leakage they deny that what is leaked is the truth and noone can check since the information is secret…

Also the information was elaked and MEP Christian Engström probably knew that it would.

And also look at the number of MEPs that signed WD12 due to him walking out! THAT is important!

Also this is not any negociation, this was simply an information briefing, when ACTA is up for voting you will hardly see him leaving!
HE

>He went about it arse end and its resulted in us knowing less about meetings.

Did you miss the part where the information was already leaked?

Wonder who looks like an arse now do we :)
UNF

@ 91, Lakawak

So true, you hit these gutless wonders fair and square on the top of their flat skullz.

No matter what is reported by Ernesto or Enigmax, it comes over as the whineings of a random faceless pussy who has come to terms with his own defeat by the forces of darkness and now goes through the motions of mimed rebellion only to generate a few ad-click dollars off the glazed retinas of the endless stream of noobs starving for leadership.

Tragic, but thanks for the reminder that not all are duped by these equivocators.
Anonymous

Please don’t falsify your headlines.
Good Title

@5,11,16 99 and many others who believe that the title is misleading

If someone threatens me my fundamental rights(like free speech) and I refuse and have to leave a meeting that I would otherwise be entitled to, than it is not “leaving on my own accord”.

An analogy: someone threatens to hurt me(threaten my right to life) if I attend a meeting. I leave. I won’t be leaving on my own accord am I?
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Mr. Common Sense

Christian Engstrom is a fool.

So what, his morales prevented him from hearing the information and leaking it anonymously?

Absolutely ridiculous.

And we wonder why this “War on Piracy” is going nowhere! Kick that bafoon out and replace him with somebody that can actually do a politician’s job..
old timer

@Mr. Common Sense

+!!!111!

This community should IMMEDIATELY demand answers for this outrageous behavior from the ELECTED OFFICIAL.

A completely insane disregard for strategic thought.
If he was really interested in the information being public, why not at least start with himself? That would be one more person in the know, regardless of his feelings about sharing against the rule.

This is outrageous…

You proud Pirate Partiers should be in the fukking streets over this.

You won. You got a person actually elected for you cause. And now, we know NOTHING more than we did! he is useless at best, and a detriment at worst.

Heres my guess:
He never left that meeting.
Quote me.
Your Father

@Mr. Common Sense & oldtimer

You are retards.
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Mr. Common Sense

@105

And you know nothing of politics.

Anything else?
PirateSlayer

@Mr. Common Sense

That’s right!

The pirate MEP is an idiot!

You should all listen to Mr. Common Sense, complain and have him replaced!
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Cookie

Engström did the right thing. To stay and then leak, or openly present, the material would be political suicide and render him completely POWERLESS and without any credit to his person or his cause. If you don’t understand that you should just keep your mouth shut. You win NOTHING by being abrasive and difficult. This is a serious matter, it needs to be approached openly, in every detail correctly and show the world that we mean business!

Walking out brought attention to the matter (secret, non-transparent negotiations), it showed other MEPs that you CAN act based on your own morals rather than be a slave under the Commission and their overlords in Hollywood. I wish more politicians were like Engström.
fire

wow ~~
fire

ee^
Fire

wow~
Monster

It’s nice when we get to see what the government is really for, lining their own pockets and those of the friends…
Whatever

Whatever did he asked the question for anyway ?

If they didn’t say it is secret before the meeting then it is not a secret. He should have stayed and secretly recorded the meeting. That way he could have written about it (leaving the commision thinking he has a good memory).
polyonymus

i was going to say something like:

” I agree with Zacqary Adam Green, you sensationalised the headline to create more impact. He clearly left the meeting voluntarily and was NOT “Forced To Leave.” Unprofessional.”

this, but way less harsh. im not sure about #11 but the only reason i criticize you for things like this is because i have a lot of respect for you as a journalist. There is only one or two other sources that are similar to you, but compared to you and torrent freak they just dont cut the mustard. if the comments you have evoked from us were all posted from some real-life location it would just be a writhing mass of knife fights and street brawls. we gnash our teeth and display our contempt for each other and yet we all read everything you write, religiously.

yes, our opponents love to lie, cheat, steal, slander, defame, discredit us, mislead the public, trick voters to get their way. yes, they sensationalize things that have no business being sensationalized, and if you dont fight back just as dirty we will DEFINITELY lose some ground because of it, but look at any of your articles comment sections, you’re at the top: we’re watching you, and so is the other side. Lose ground, sir, rise above the political circle-jerk.

i know i have no right to tell you how to write your articles, take it with a grain of salt i guess.

thanks for all you do :)
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