Internet users and government officials in many European countries have been protesting an anti-Internet piracy and intellectual property treaty known as the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) with increasing volume.

ACTA would establish a framework for fighting copyright infringement across international borders, be it physical or digital. Opponents of ACTA say it is too far-reaching, and warn that it could lead to a crackdown on small-scale digital piracy and have unintended consequences for generic drugs, which are classified along with counterfeit ones.

The protests follow unprecedented online action against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the U.S., forcing many legislators to withdraw support for the proposed legislation.