Will MEPs reject the Directive on the « protection » of trade secrets on Thursday?
Today, Tuesday 12 April, thanks to a coalition (1) of over 50 NGOs and European trade unions united against the Trade Secrets Directive, an online platform was made available to all European citizens so that they can call their MEPs and ask them to reject the Trade Secrets Directive.
This follows a petition which garnered the signatures of over 126 000 European citizens calling upon MEPs to reject the Directive. MEPs were also directly solicited over a thousand times on Twitter since Monday 11 April (#tradesecrets).
The Directive will be put to the vote at the European Parliament on Thursday, 14 April. It will enable companies to sue whoever may obtain, use or publish information which they consider to be trade secrets. The European Parliament added exceptions meant to protect journalists, whistleblowers, employees etc., however they are insufficient. Above all, it will be for the judges to assess the facts and, when one is forced into playing a defensive game, one usually ends up conceding goals.
At a time when the Panama Papers have reminded us of how important the work of whistleblowers is for the public good, MEPs would adopt a Directive opening further rights to sue the very people who made these revelations possible?
