Pending some large-scale revolution, in just one month the Australian government will sign-off on the Trans-Pacific Partnership – a trade agreement that will allow media companies broad powers to enforce copyright and censorship laws online.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been negotiated over the last few years from behind a veil of relative secrecy and is seen as a massive threat to the internet as a free and open environment for communication.

In what has been described as the most significant international commercial agreements since the World Trade Organisation, the TPP will force internet providers to hand over details of copyright breaches and other private data to companies seeking legal action.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has been fighting against the TPP since negotiations began, saying in a statement: “The copyright provisions in the TPP will carve a highly restrictive copyright regime into stone and prevent countries from enacting laws that best address and promote users’ interests. In this final stage, it’s time for us to demand that our lawmakers join those who are already denouncing this agreement. We must drag this out into the light and reject international laws that uphold corporate interests at the expense of users’ rights.”

Word from the US means the TPP could be very nearly in place. Reports say US President Barack Obama is seeking to fast-track the introduction of the agreement, despite the government of the United States still being in shut-down due to a childish health policy stand-off.

Under the United States’ fast track rules, the President could force a vote without allowing congress members the possibility of sharing, discussing, or amending its contents.

Over 100,000 people have signed a petition against the proposal, and it is possible millions more will have wished they had. The list is accessible here.