On June 18, 2009, The Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) issued a 2,000 word resolution on the enforcement of copyright, trademarks, patents and other intellectual property rights. The resolution is on the TACD web page here. A press release from the TACD IP-Working Group, with comments from several TACD members, is available on the web here.
The decision to restart the ACTA negotiations makes it important to understand the nature and consequence of proposed agreement. Following a complaint about transparency, this note focuses on damages and injunctions.
At least four imprints of Random House (Ballantine, Dell, Del Rey and Spectra) have turned off text to speech in Kindle books that they give away at a zero price. Random House is owned by Bertelsmann AG, the German publishing giant. What is the rationale for soundproofing* these books?
Here are some examples of DRM’d soundproof books that are free to Kindle users who do not have visual impairments.
A google search using the term: “Text-to-Speech: Not enabled” site:www.amazon.com today gives 13,500 hits. On May 17, 2009, the same search gave 343 hits.
Group B Countries, including the United States, 17 members of the European Union, Canada, Switzerland, the Holy See, and others, argued last week that consideration of *any* instrument to set norms for access to works by persons who are blind or have reading disabilities was “premature.” Others suggest action is “overdue.” In fact, the debate is quite old.
These are the final conclusions of SCCR 18.
World Intellectual Property Organization
SCCR Eighteenth Session
Geneva, May 25 to 29, 2009
CONCLUSIONS OF THE SCCR
prepared by the Chair
Limitations and exceptions
Original at: https://tacd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/TACD-IP-07-09-IP-Aspects-of-Pandemics.pdf Resolution on Intellectual Property Aspects of Pandemics DOC No. IP 07-09 DATE ISSUED: May 2009 Introduction In recent years there have been several cases of possible new pandemics of infectious diseases. This includes recently concerns about SARS,… Continue Reading
Group B has offered amendments to a proposed conclusion for the WIPO SCCR 18 meeting. The amendments are designed to eliminate any agreement to discuss a treaty for blind and reading disabled persons at the next meeting of the SCCR. The United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, the Holy See (the Vatican), the members of the European Union and other high income countries have joined in this statement. Later the EU offered an even blunter opposition to the treaty proposals. I have blogged about our disappointment in the Obama Administration on the Huffington Post here.
And these are the draft conclusions on the casting treaty. And a date for the next SCCR which might be changed because it is the same date as a WTO meeting in Geneva.
Protection of broadcasting organizations
16. The committee expressed its appreciation for the information session on developments in broadcasting which focused on concerns of developing and least developed countries
These are the draft conclusions regarding the audiovisual performances. The delegates had very few comments, so what you see here is more or less what the final paper will look like.
Protection of audiovisual performances
11. The Committee expressed its appreciation for the seminars organized by the Se. and encouraged the Sec to continue that activity
12. The Committee reaffirmed its commitment to work on developing the international protection of performances in audiovisual media.