French S&D deputy Kader Arif has resigned as rapporteur of the controversial anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA), saying the process lacked transparency and that the European parliament was denied its say in the negotiations.

Arif said that he wanted to "denounce in the strongest possible manner the process that led to the signature of this agreement", claiming that there was an "exclusion" of the parliament's demands on several occasions.

The French MEP also criticised the lack of inclusion for civil society organisations, and said that he had faced "never-before-seen manoeuvres from the right wing of this parliament to impose a rushed calendar before public opinion could be alerted".

"Everyone knows the ACTA agreement is problematic, whether it is its impact on civil liberties, the way it makes internet access providers liable, its consequences on generic drugs manufacturing, or how little protection it gives to our geographical indications."

"This agreement may have a major impact on the lives of our citizens, and yet everything is done so that the European parliament has no say," Arif said. "I will not participate in this charade."