[A2k] IP Watch: New Proposal At WIPO For Exceptions and Limitations Agreement; US Unconvinced

[kaitlin mara]

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New Proposal At WIPO For Exceptions and Limitations Agreement; US
Unconvinced <http://ip-watch.org/weblog/wp-trackback.php?p=954>By William
New

Several nations have joined Chile in presenting a new proposal for work on
limitations and exceptions to this week's meeting of the World Intellectual
Property Organization copyright committee. The work would include
establishing an international agreement on the issue.

But the United States told the plenary on Tuesday that it is "not ready" for
norm-setting activities on exceptions and limitations and needs to see
"evidence-based" analysis to show the need for more work on this area,
according to sources.

The new proposal, available
here<http://ip-watch.org/files/New_proposal_on_exceptions_limitations.pdf>[pdf],
offered Tuesday by Brazil, Chile, Nicaragua and Uruguay, calls for
work on three areas: identification from members' national IP systems of
models and practices on exceptions and limitations; analysis of exceptions
and limitations needed to promote and disseminate creation and innovation;
and establishment of an agreement on exceptions and limitations for the
public interest, as a minimum in all national legislation.

... more at *http://ip-watch.org/weblog/wp-trackback.php?p=954*


** <tr_1205251551117>
WIPO Copyright Committee Begins New Era With Revised Agenda, Same
Chair<http://ip-watch.org/weblog/wp-trackback.php?p=952>

By William New
The World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee on Monday
began a new era in the wake of a failed decade of negotiations for a
broadcasters' rights treaty. But it will tackle its new agenda including
limitations and exceptions to copyright with the same chairman who guided
the broadcasting talks with fervour.

Finland's Jukka Liedes was re-elected chairman of the Standing Committee on
Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) Monday after closed-door debate that
lasted most of the first day. It was unclear how a deal was reached on
returning Liedes to the chair he has held for about a decade, but sources
said there were no other candidates formally put forth. The SCCR is meeting
from 10-12 March<http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=14502>.


The vice-chair post changed somewhat. Chile, which has an interest in a key
agenda item, moved into one of the spots, and Morocco held on to other, as
China agreed to step out. China will take over Morocco's spot next year,
sources said. But one diplomat said Liedes may not rely heavily on the vice
chairs to bring consensus on issues.

The biggest item on the agenda this year appears to be limitations and
exceptions to copyright, a proposal put forward by Chile in the past (*IPW*,
Technical Cooperation/Technology Transfer, 12 January
2006<http://ip-watch.org/weblog/wp-trackback.php?p=191>)
and dusted off for this meeting. Proponents could seek an international
instrument on exceptions and limitations, a source said. These are generally
aimed at reining in the scope of copyright, boosting the public domain, and
protecting access to content for fair use and by special users such as
libraries. This item was said by participants to have been moved to the top
of the agenda.

Sign of a new issue at WIPO came in a late addition to the agenda by
Slovenia on behalf of the European Union. It proposed to hold an information
session this week on WIPO's Arbitration and Mediation Centre and copyrights.
Traditionally, the centre has focussed on disputes over Internet domain
names and trademarks. The agenda item was adopted and the session is
expected on Wednesday.

The agenda also includes the perennial effort to restart talks for a treaty
on audiovisual performances, and still includes the broadcasting treaty,
which is most sought be European nations struggling with signal theft.

At least one side event is planned for the week aside from the arbitration
centre. An event on Tuesday will address the value of exceptions and
limitations with moderators and presenters from the International Centre for
Trade and Sustainable Development, International Federation of Library
Associations, permanent mission of Chile, Knowledge Ecology International,
British Library and IQ Sensato/Yale Law School.

*William New may be reached at wnew@ip-watch.ch.*