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Their aim, they say, is to create a common ground for further discussion and cooperation. To that end they have agreed a platform which, common ground aside, certainly strikes a defiant pose.

The manifesto establishes three principles: one, 'We will copy whatever we want. Make p2p legal or just accept it!' two, 'Free networking, everywhere by anyone!' and three, 'Don't touch our Internets [sic]! No more efforts to limit, monitor or sabotage use of the net!'

Clearly the notion of copyright and artists being paid doesn't carry much weight for the group.

'When we talk about price, we don't mean what the price for copy-protected music should be or how much

Tobias Andersson from the Swedish Piratbyrån (The Bureau of Piracy) said that the Pro Piracy Lobby wants to create a worldwide network of pro-copying organisations

'The interest in file sharing, piracy and the Internet in general increases exponentially each day,' said Andersson. 'Pirate groups and parties are being grown as flowers in springtime.'

The creation of the Pro Piracy Lobby is indicative of a growing political edge to those who are opposed to music and movie industry efforts to clampdown on file sharing. In France and Belgium piracy parties have been formed to campaign for the legalisation of non-lucrative p2p activity, reform of author's rights, abolition of the patent system and the safeguarding of individual rights of privacy.