US still pressing allies for tougher anti-piracy laws

Despite the fact that Spain enacted an anti-piracy law in 2011 (under pressure from the United States), the country is now working on a new one as a way to keep the Iberian nation off of an American watchlist.

Jose Ignacio Wert, Spain’s education and culture minister, said that his country is currently negotiating a new law aimed at preventing Spain’s return to the United States Trade Representative "notorious markets" list. The International Intellectual Property Alliance has recommended that Spain be added once again to the list, which is due out later this month. "I believe this reform should satisfy those who are worried about Spain's insufficient level of protection for intellectual property," Wert said. The new law would target “linking sites” that provide a means to induce secondary copyright infringement, and if passed as currently drafted would give the Spanish government the power to quickly shut down such sites. Fines would also be increased to up to €300,000 ($392,000).