[A2k] WIPO Broadcasting Treaty negotiations commence

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

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WIPO Broadcasting Treaty negotiations commence

June 18th, 2007 by Thiru Balasubramaniam

The WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright (SCCR), the WIPO body
overseeing the negotiations on the broadcasting treaty began at 12:04
PM. The reason for its late start was because the African Group had
consultations in the morning.

Jukka Liedes, Director, Division of Culture and Media Policy, Ministry
of Education and Culture from Finland was elected Chair of the SCCR. It
appears quite clear that Mr. Liedes wants to conduct the SCCR
negotiations in the same manner as the PCDA was cooked last week, in an
informal, non-transparent, green room process. The Asian Group
(Bangladesh, coordinator) and the African Group (Algeria, coordinator)
have made it quite clear that this approach is not something they
support.

Bangladesh, on behalf of the Asian Group, noted the following.

     Document SCCR15/2 Rev (Revised Draft Basic Proposal) is the basic
negotiation document. We should be guided by the General Assembly
decision which states that the broadcasting treaty instrument:
     a) should be signal based,
     b)restricted to traditional modes of broadcasting (i.e. no
webcasting and simulcasting),
     c)it does not affect the rights of the rightholders of the content,
     d)it does not impede the free flow of and access of information
including through TPMs and public policy between Member States and
     e)achieves a fair balance between all sectors.

China expressed its disappointment that it was not invited to Chair
Liedes=92 breakfast meeting with the Regional Coordinators (China is one
of the 7 WIPO =93regions=94).

Three NGOs were accredited to the SCCR including KEI. The two other
NGOs that received accreditation included the Sports Coalition that
represents the Canadian Football League; the Ladies Professional Golf
Association; Major League Baseball; Major League Baseball Advanced
Media, Inc.; the National Basketball Association; The National
Collegiate Athletic Association; the National Football League; NFL
Europa; the National Hockey League; the PGA TOUR, Inc.; the
Professional Golfers=92 Association of America; the United States Tennis
Association; and the Women=92s National Basketball Association and

and the Sports Rights Owners Coalition (SROC) which includes:
International Cricket Council, the International Tennis Federation, the
International Olympic Committee, Formula One, the International Rugby
Board, FIFA, 6 Nations Rugby, European Professional Football Leagues,
IAAF Athletics, the International Federation of Horseracing
Authorities, the Ryder Cup, the PGA Tour Australasia, UEFA, World
Marathon Majors and World Snooker. Some of the national sports rights
owners belonging to SROC are: the Tour de France, F=E9deration Fran=E7aise
de Tennis, Cricket Australia, the German Bundesliga, the English
Premier League, Tennis Australia and the Ligue de Football
Professionel.


---------------------------------
Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
voice +41.22.791.6727
fax +41.22.723.2988
mobile +41 76 508 0997
thiru@keionline.org