ACTA is needed to protect brands  There is a genuine value to a brand – in part because, for clothing companies for example, it is a mark of quality as much as it is of origin. However even if that were not the case, the brand identity of a company is part of its legal property and should be protected in the same way and stock or cash against theft.  The very fact that people are so keen to buy branded clothing and other products – even when pirated – demonstrates that there is a value to those brands.  ACTA doesn’t seek to control people’s rights to wear any pair of jeans or trainers or other type of product. It simply says that if someone wants to own Levi jeans or Nike trainers they should pay the price set by Levis or Nike. If they don’t want to pay the premium then they are at liberty to buy different unbranded products.