European Digital Rights was founded in June 2002. Currently 35 privacy and civil rights organisations have EDRi membership. They are based or have offices in 21 different countries in Europe.
Members of European Digital Rights have joined forces to defend civil rights in the information society. The need for cooperation among organisations active in Europe is increasing as more regulation regarding the internet, copyright and privacy is originating from European institutions, or from international institutions with strong impact in Europe.
News & announcements
EDRi welcomes European Parliament's rejection of ACTA
4 July, 2012
European Digital Rights (EDRi) warmly welcomed today's decision by the European Parliament to reject ACTA with an overwhelming majority (478 against, 39 in favour, 165 abstentions).
“ACTA was a bad proposal on every level. The drafting process was closed and undemocratic. The final text would have prevented a positive reform of Europe's profoundly broken copyright system for years to come. Today's victory is an important milestone for internet freedoms in Europe and cross the globe,” said Joe McNamee, Executive Director of EDRi.
Current EU consultations of importance to digital rights
28 June, 2012
The European Commission frequently organises consultations, which are open not only to industry but also civil society and individual citizens. These are valuable opportunities to shape policy in a positive way from the outset rather than needing to take to the streets when the wrong policy is developed based on bad analysis.
MEP Gallo's defence of her PC Inpact article
27 June, 2012
Following the criticism she received regarding her recent PC Inpact interview, Marielle Gallo published a letter on her website. As we published our translation of the interview, we felt it was fair to also publish her defence. We have included some notes and clarifications in the translation.
Marielle Gallo MEP condemns the "soft-terrorism" of the anti-ACTA campaign
27 June, 2012
» Net Neutrality | Privacy | Freedom of speech | Intellectual Property Enforcement | Digital Rights Management
This interview was translated and republished with the kind permission of PCinpact. We have added our comments on some of the misinformation in Ms Gallo's statements. See notes 1-6 at the end of the article.
Marielle Gallo, who is a member of the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels, proposed a draft Opinion that was in favour of ACTA.
Commission and industry attacks on Parliament hit a new low
25 June, 2012
» Net Neutrality | Internet Blocking | Notice & take-down | Freedom of speech | Intellectual Property Enforcement
For the past few months, the European Commission and industry lobbyists have tried to pressure the European Parliament into abdicating responsibility for ACTA, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. Instead, the Parliament has given the proposal an inordinate amount of attention, with five different committees devoting huge amounts of time and resources to the proposal. Five different committees looked at the proposal from a development, industry, civil liberties, legal and international trade perspective.
One by one, each of the Committees analysed ACTA, with an ever-dwindling degree of support for the proposal.
