Åsa Torstensson visits Washington DC

Dear Internauts and officials, There is a shadow on the world, a shadow of secrecy surrounding the ACTA treaty. We are concerned that this treaty will have severe consequences for the future of the Internet. But there is no need to fear, only to rebuild and patch the errors that appear in politics. Towards the end of this month, Swedish Minister of Communications Åsa Torstensson will travel to Washington DC to convey one (out of several other) important message from the European Union and Sweden. ACTA must be opened up to the public, rather than being a secret only revealed to special corporate interests. Also, the EU has recently passed legislation called the Telecoms Package which strongly goes against the (leaked) notions in the ACTA-treaty. To enable US activists to support the arguments and put pressure on the opening up of this process, we are republishing a Communiqué from the Swedish Government, translated by our clusters into English.

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Åsa Torstensson visits Washington DC The Swedish Minister of Communications, Åsa Torstensson, will be visiting Washington DC between November the 30th and December the 3rd. The purpose of the meeting is to join US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in preparation for the climate assembly in Copenhagen, to discuss the importance of a climate treaty and the need for the transport sector to lower emissions. During the Washington visit, Åsa Torstensson will also meet US President Barack Obama's Information Technology officers Aneesh Chopra and Vivek Kundra. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss how Information Technology can be used to promote the economical and environmental challenges faced by the EU and the US.

There has also been a meeting scheduled with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski. During this meeting Åsa Torstensson will discuss net neutrality and the importance of users enjoying free and open internet access. Net neutrality is one of many important questions connected to the newly voted through - and soon to be implemented - telecoms package in the European Union.

The negotiations process should be opened up Åsa Torstensson will also meet with the president's advisor Peter Cowhey (Senior Counselor to the US Trade Representative) in order to discuss the new trade agreement known as the "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement" (ACTA), which is currently being negotiated. Åsa Torstensson will present the opinion that the negotiations process should be opened up, so that interested parties and groups are given the opportunity to submit more detailed opinions about the contents of the negotiations and draft documents.

She will also stress that Sweden cannot accept that ACTA opens up for the possibility of a "3-strikes and you're out" policy of internet access termination for violators of intellectual property rights. Contact information Kenneth Hultgren Press Secretary to Åsa Torstensson Ministry FAX: +46 8 411 36 16 Work: +46 (0)8-405 48 17 Cell: +46 (0)70-593 08 77 Email: http://www.sweden.gov.se/pub/road/Classic/article/117/jsp/Render.jsp?a=80726&m=popup&l=en Åsa Torstensson visits Washington DC (original press release)