The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement: What's It All About?

Kimberlee G. Weatherall, University of Queensland, Australia

Abstract

This paper evaluates the current state of play on negotiations for an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (‘ACTA’). Relatively little that is concrete is known about the negotiations, which are being conducted behind closed doors: a fact which is tending to fuel wild speculations regarding the possible content of the Agreement, the timetable for its negotiation, and its future envisaged use. This short paper outlines what is publicly known about the negotiations, the purpose of the agreement, and the potential scope of the agreement, in order to provide information for interested members of the public, particularly Australians.