Just when you wondered who's behind may of the recently disturbing reports coming out of the EU a name has at last been put to many of the anti consumer activities, Karel de Gucht.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110919/00304315998/eu-commissioner-asks-big-copyright-to-increase-their-lobbying-efforts-more-draconian-copyright-law.shtmlEU Commissioner Karel de Gucht has been the EU's main supporter behind ACTA. de Gucht was caught lying about ACTA last year to get it approved (telling EU members that ACTA fit under existing laws, and only later admitting some members might have to change their laws). He also refused to turn over some important documents requested by an EU Parliament member concerning ACTA, claiming that (contrary to what the law says) as long as he answered questions, he didn't have to turn over the documents.
So it probably comes as little surprise that, in a recent speech about intellectual property issues in Europe, he directly appealed to copyright holders to increase their lobbying, because those darn critics of stronger copyright apparently are speaking up too much:
I urge all of you in an EU country to contact your elected representative and get them to ask some searching questions such as why this guy believes hes allowed to undertake such anti consumer activity without a remit from all member nations, someone must know who's payroll he's on
