Source: MIke Palmedo

Spain’s newly elected Popular Party has implemented the controversial Law for Economic Sustainability (informally known as the “Sinde law” after outgoing Culture Minister Angeles Gonzalez-Sinde).  Under the Sinde Law, rightholders can identify websites hosting infringing content to a government commission on intellectual property, which will determine if the site is infringing.  Within ten days, the government commission can take action against the site or against ISPs providing infrastructure to the site.

The Sinde Law was passed by the parliament in February 2011 but opposition from the public kept the socialist government from enacting the law, despite U.S. pressure to do so.  In announcing the law, Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said it will “protect the owners, creators and other rights holders rights against the profitable sacking of their assets on illegal downloading websites.”

More information can be found in the (Google translation of) the “Sinde Law for Dummies” by Sergio Rodriguez.