BERLIN - The European Parliament's president has criticized an international copyright treaty, arguing that it lacks sufficient balance.
Backers of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, or ACTA, say it's needed to harmonize international standards to protect the rights of those who produce music, movies, pharmaceuticals and other piracy-prone products.
But opponents fear it will lead to censorship and a loss of privacy on the Internet. Thousands protested in several European countries Saturday.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz told Germany's ARD television Sunday: "I don't find it good in its current form."
He said the necessary balance between copyright protection and the individual rights of Internet users "is only very inadequately anchored in this agreement."
