[A2k] The Counterfeit Treaty

[Jeffrey A. Williams]

Jamie and all,

  Depending on exactly what is in this agreement ( ACTA ),
it could wreck the internet, and severely cripple innovation
for decades to come.  Business travel would also take an
additional hit which would be a problem for the travel industry
which is already reeling from high fuel costs.


-----Original Message-----
>From: james.love@keionline.org
>Sent: Jun 3, 2008 3:17 AM
>To: a2k@lists.essential.org
>Subject: [A2k] The Counterfeit Treaty
>
>
>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-love/the-counterfeit-treaty_b_104831.h=
tml
>
>The Huffington Post
>June 3, 2008
>
>The Counterfeit Treaty
>
>Today in Geneva Switzerland, at an undisclosed location, the US
>government, the European Commission, Japan and a handful of other
>countries will meet in a secret negotiation on a new treaty.
>The working name is the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), a
>name that masks the much broader subject matter, and one that was
>deliberately chosen to intimate and discourage politicians from
>expressing opposition to provisions that undermine civil rights and
>privacy, and which many say will change the substantive rights the
>public has to use copyrighted works or inventions. What member of
>Congress or Parliament wants to be accused of protecting counterfeiters?
>
>The US, EU and other governments involved in this project have not
>released details of the substantive provisions under discussion. Press
>reports in Canada in Europe have focused on provisions that would
>involve searches of computers, cell phones or iPods for infringing
>software or music files. Others have discussed changes in international
>law regarding injunctions for alleged infringements of intellectual
>property rights, expanded ex officio powers for governments, tougher
>sanctions, special programs to train judges or law enforcement
>officials, and other measures, most of which is speculation based upon
>some of the "asks" by lobbyists from the computer game, software, music,
>film, pharmaceutical and fashion industries. (See here, here, and here.)
>
>There is a huge rush to conclude this agreement before Bush leaves
>office. So far, no Democratic member of Congress has expressed much
>interest in the details of the agreement, or asked probing questions
>about why such a potentially far reaching treaty is being rushed through
>under a cloud of secrecy, described by some as cloak and dagger.
>
>This "patriot act" for intellectual property "crimes" may be one of the
>late legacies of the Bush Administration. It would be nice to have more
>transparency about such a far reaching and important global trade
>agreement. Particularly since the current negotiation strategy seems to
>be to present the Congress with a fully negotiated text for an up or
>down vote, before there has been any debate of the actual provisions of
>the agreement, or consideration of alternative approaches, including
>those that have fewer negative impacts on privacy, due process or consumer
>rights.
>
>There are undoubtedly reasons for such tight secrecy and the use of
>thought-stopping terms like "anti-counterfeiting" to name this
>agreement. But they are undoubtedly the wrong reasons for the public.
>They are signals that the treaty would face opposition if more was known
>and understood about its substantive provisions.
>
>
>--
>James Love, Knowledge Ecology International
>mailto:james.love@keionline.org
>voice +1.202.332.2670, fax +1.202.332.2673, US mobile +1.202.361.3040,
>Geneva mobile +41.76.413.6584
>"When everyone thinks alike, no one thinks very much." =C2=97 Walter Lippm=
ann
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