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The ACTA Leak is useful, but there are still plenty of secrets

This is a note about the leaked ACTA documents, that have been reported now by several news organizations and bloggers.*

On September 30, 2009, the EU wrote a three page memo on the Internet chapter of ACTA. This is about a week after the USTR held a secret meeting with selected corporate lobbyists and lawyers to debate the ACTA Internet under terms of a tough non-disclosure agreement.

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White House shares the ACTA Internet text with 42 Washington insiders, under non disclosure agreements

On November 4-6, 2009, the next round of negotiations for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Negotiations (ACTA) will take place in Seoul, Korea. The following is another strange chapter in the secrecy surrounding this negotiation.

Background

Since ACTA was first announced, KEI has pressed the negotiating governments to provide more transparency, including recently, for example

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Comments on inadequacy of voluntary measures to ensure equal access to copyrighted works for persons with reading disabilities

In discussions about a possible WIPO Treaty for persons who are blind or have other reading disabilities, there have been suggestions by some that voluntary licensing by rights holders presents a sufficient solution to the problem. I studied several publications since 1985 to take a closer look at this viewpoint and find out what were the common perceptions.

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Request for Solidarity from Korea: Gleevec price reduction

Korean civil society has asked KEI to disseminate this request for solidarity and action in their efforts to reduce the price of Gleevec, a leukemia treatment pill. The current price is approximately 2,300 USD per month for an adult patient and the Korean government has been sued by Novartis for trying to reduce the price a 14%. Korean civil society is also requesting Novartis to introduce a higher form, 400 mg, in Korea.

REQUEST for Solidarity:

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Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) FOIA Requests

  • On October 2, 2009, KEI submitted the following request to CDC, regarding IP aspects of pandemics:

    ——– Forwarded Message ——–
    From: James Love
    To: FOIARequests@cdc.gov
    Subject: FOIA Request, IP aspects of pandemics
    Date: Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:36:44 -0400

    CDC/ATSDR FOIA Officer:
    Lynn Armstrong

    CDC/ATSDR
    Attn: FOIA Office, MS-D54
    1600 Clifton Road, N.E.
    Atlanta, GA 30333

    Dear CDC FOIA officer:

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Department of State FOIA Requests

  • On September 2009, KEI filed the following request under the Freedom of Information Act.
  • Request Date: 9/30/2009
    Request Reference Number: C6218

    The time period of my request is from 1/1/2009 to the present.

    Description of request:

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