…and the kitchen sink? (WIPO)

Since nobody really wants to work on the casters treaty (no matter what they say) today we’re talking about what should be on the table, the work program for the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights at WIPO.

To push back the excellent proposal on limitations and exceptions made by Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Nicaragua yesterday the EU is proposing to add:

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Notes on a panel discussion on IP and free trade with government and industry representatives

A Panel Discussion on Policy Approaches to Intellectual Property Enforcement and the Impact on Trade Agreements

Organized by the Property Rights Alliance, this event was hosted by the Intellectual Property Caucus and sponsored by Rep. Tom Feeney.

Date: 12:00-1:30pm October 4, 2007
Venue: Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC

Attendance: Congressional staff, industry representatives, other interested parties.

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The politics of group B and the WIPO Broadcasting treaty

While some of the news reports have focused on north/south disputes over limitations and exceptions to rights in the WIPO Broadcasting treaty, there is a also a growing divide between North America (US and Canada) on the one hand, and Europe and Japan, on the other, over the nature of the rights in the treaty. The EU position (followed by Japan), which is being pushed by the very non-neutral Finish chair, is for Rome+ rights, to reward investment, not creativity. Continue Reading

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