[Ecommerce] TRIPS 10 years later conference organised by the EC - 23-24 June 2004

Tue May 11 14:48:00 2004

Philippe and all,

 It seems rather ironic to myself and all of our members and other
business leaders as well as US government leaders in trade relations
that several EU countries as seemingly yacking out of both sides of
their mouths.  As the USTR's recent 301 report illustrates and
shows, the EU as an entity along with several EU nations are
not meeting or even attempting to meet their agreed upon WTO
driven obligations.
See: http://www.ustr.gov/reports/2004-301/special301.htm
 http://www.ustr.gov/reports/2004-301/special301-wl.htm#italy
 http://www.ustr.gov/reports/2004-301/special301-wl.htm#poland
 http://www.ustr.gov/reports/2004-301/special301-pwl.htm#eu

 What I do know for a relative certainty is that most Texans as well
as many Americans are tired of false WTO and WIPO agreements
that are inconsistant with long term healty free AND fair trade..

Philippe Aigrain wrote:

> For your information, here is copy of an EC announcment.
>
> The conference is supposed to address such burning issues as:
> - Have developing countries experienced TRIPS as an obstacle or a booster
> for development?
> - Are there conflicts between IPRs and Human  Rights?
> - Are intellectual property rights marginalising the public domain?
> - Do IPRs on biotechnology lead to Privatisation of Life and Natural
> Resources?
> - IPRs and the knowledge society: friends or foes?
>
> As the programme stands, I am afraid that Tim (Hubbard) and Vandana Shiva=
 will
> be a bit alone to present one side of the views. I hope Lawrence Lessig
> (curiously presented as "Open software activist" will confirm), or can be
> substituted by someone else.
>
> It is remarkable than Panel 4 "Outlook to the future of TRIPs: How to ens=
ure
> an appropriate IPR System in a globalised economy? " has no pro-commons
> representative.
>
> Philippe Aigrain
> -----------------------------------------------
> EUROPEAN COMMISSION
> Directorate-General for Trade
>
> TRIPs - ten years later
> A Conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the conclusion of
> the WTO TRIPs Agreement
> Brussels, 23/24 June 2004
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Letter from Pascal Lamy, EU Trade Commissioner
>
> This year marks the tenth anniversary of the conclusion of the Marrakesh
> Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation. One of the most
> innovative aspects of this global trade agreement was the Agreement on
> Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Its conclusion
> laid the basis for a truly globalised intellectual property regime. At
> the same time, its implementation led to the emergence of important
> political debates in the WTO, notably on the impact of intellectual
> property on the developing world, access to medicines, and the
> protection of geographical indications. These debates are a reflection
> of the challenges of the global trading system regulated by the WTO.
> In order to look back at these ten years and, more importantly, to
> examine the prospects for the future, I am organising a conference to be
> held in Brussels on 23-24 June 2004. This conference will bring together
> influential actors - from industrialists to government representatives,
> international organisations, NGOs and academics - with an interest in
> intellectual property world wide.  The aim is to assess from the widest
> possible number of perspectives the implications of the TRIPs Agreement
> and future trends and challenges in global intellectual property
> protection.
> The Conference is meant to offer a high profile platform to address the
> key issues, such as the implications of the TRIPs Agreement for
> developing countries, enforcement challenges, the interplay between
> intellectual property and human rights, the relationship between
> intellectual property and the public domain and the question on whether
> the TRIPs Agreement is adequate to the challenges of globalisation and
> the knowledge society.
> The conference will also enable us to examine issues which are not only
> of direct relevance to the global trading system, including the
> negotiations in the WTO under the Doha Development Agenda, but also to
> sustainable development, transfer of technology and research and
> development. The event consists of four panels with high profile
> speakers, who will engage in an open debate in which the participants
> will be invited to participate actively.
> I would very much like to invite you to attend this conference. Your
> participation is free of charge, but upon prior registration.
> A draft programme of the conference is enclosed for your convenience.
> I would kindly invite you to register by 4 June 2004 at the latest,
> using the electronic inscription form at
> http://scic.cec.eu.int/scic/owa/WEB_MTKF.reg_form?confID=3D04TRADETRIPS. =
I
> draw your attention to the fact that the number of participants is
> limited to 450, and that registrations will be treated on a
> first-come-first-serve basis.
> Please follow carefully the instructions set out on the following pages.
> I look forward to your reply and to seeing you on this occasion.
>     Yours sincerely,
>
>     Pascal LAMY
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
> IMPORTANT NOTICE: This programme is subject to changes.
> * indicates speakers to be confirmed
> 1. 23 June 2004
> 1.1.14:30-15:00 Opening Address by Pascal Lamy, EU Trade Commissioner
> 1.2.15:00-18:00 Panel 1: Ten years of the TRIPs Agreement: Taking Stock
> Moderator: Mr Lars Anell, former ambassador of Sweden to the WTO,
> Chairman of the Uruguay Round Negotiating Group on TRIPs.
> Questions to be addressed:
> What has been the effect of globalising intellectual property rights?
> Has the TRIPs Agreement lived up to the expectations?
> Have developing countries experienced TRIPS as an obstacle or a booster
> for development?
> Which problems have been experienced in the implementation of TRIPs?
> Have solutions been adequate?
> Panellists:
> Dr. Supachai Panichpakdi, Director-General, World Trade Organization
> Mr. Celso Amorim*, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Brazil Mr. Jean-Pierre
> Garnier*, CEO GlaxoSmithKline
> Mr. Ricardo Melendez Ortiz, Executive Director of ICTSD, Geneva
> Mr. Mogens Peter Carl, Director General for Trade, European Commission,
> Former Negotiator of the TRIPs Agreement
> Prof. John Barton, Professor of Law, Stanford University, Former
> Chairman of the UK Commission on Intellectual Property Rights;
> Questions of the floor and debate
>
> 1.3.18h00:    Reception
> 2.24 June 2004 2.1.09:00 - 10h40 Panel 2: Enforcement challenges
> Moderator: Dr. Istvan Major, Deputy State Secretary, Former Ambassador
> of Hungary to the WTO and former Chairman of the TRIPs Council.
> Questions to be addressed:
> What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Enforcement mechanisms in
> the TRIPs Agreement? How to tackle piracy and counterfeiting?
> Costs of non-implementation of TRIPs vs. cost of implementation of TRIPs
> Is IP Enforcement really a Priority for Developing Countries?
> Is it time for a new strategy for Enforcement of Intellectual Property
> Rights?
> Panellists: Mrs. Elisabeth Ponsolle des Portes, General Delegate of
> Comit=E9 Colbert, France
> Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Director of the Legal and Constitutional
> Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, London
> Mr. Thierry Stoll, Deputy Director General, European Commission,
> Internal Market DG Prof. Joseph Straus, Max Planck Institute for
> Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law, Munich
> Mr. Michael Bailey, Senior Policy Advisor, Oxfam
> 2.2.11.00-13:00 Panel 3 : IPRs, Human Rights and the Public Domain
> Moderator: Dr. Istvan Major, Deputy State Secretary, Former Ambassador
> of Hungary to the WTO and former Chairman of the TRIPs Council.
> Questions to be addressed: Are there conflicts between IPRs and Human
> Rights?
> Are intellectual property rights marginalising the public domain?
> Do IPRs on biotechnology lead to Privatisation of Life and Natural
> Resources?
> IPRs and the knowledge society: friends or foes?
> Intellectual Property Rights and research: Is the Tool serving its Purpos=
e?
> Panellists: Mr. Philippe Busquin, EU Research Commissioner Dr. Vandana
> Shiva, Founder of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and
> Ecology Mr Feike Sybesma*, Chairman EuropaBio
> Prof. Lawrence Lessig*, Stanford University, Open Software activist
> Mr. Tim Hubbard, Geneticist, Sanger Institute, Cambridge (UK)
>
> Lunch Break
>
> 2.3.14:30 - 16:30 Panel 4: Outlook to the future of TRIPs: How to ensure
> an appropriate IPR System in a globalised economy? Moderator: Mr Lars
> Anell, former ambassador of Sweden to the WTO, Chairman of the Uruguay
> Round Negotiating Group on TRIPs.
> Questions to be addressed: Is the TRIPs Agreement adequate to respond to
> the challenges of the knowledge society?
> Is there a need for restoring the freedom of developing countries to
> adopt systems they consider best to advance their economic and social
> development needs?
> How do we take account of diverse collective preferences? Is the TRIPs
> agreement sufficiently flexible?
> Is further harmonisation of IP rules a viable option?
> Future trends?
> Panellists: Mr R.B. Zoellick*, US Trade Representative
> Mr. Bo Xilai* Minister of Commerce, China
> Mr Ernesto Bertarelli*, CEO, Serono International SA
> Mr. Rubens Ricupero, Secretary General, UNCTAD
> Mr Geoffrey Yu, Deputy Director General, WIPO Prof. Keith Maskus, Chair
> of the Economics Department, University of Colorado
>
> 2.4.16:30 - 17:00 Final Wrap-up and Concluding Remarks by Pascal Lamy
>
> 2.5.End of Conference
>
> PRACTICAL INFORMATION
> PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
>
> 3.Date and Conference venue
> 23-24 June 2004, starting at 8.30 a.m.
> Charlemagne Conference Centre, Room S3,
> Rue de la Loi 170
> B-1040 Brussels - Belgium
> (Closest metro station / bus stop: Schuman)
> 4.Welcome Desk
> A Welcome Desk will be available to participants on Wednesday 23 June
> 2004 from 08.30 hrs until the end of the conference.
> 5.Registration
> Participants are requested to register as soon as possible using the
> "registration on line" form available at the following URL address:
> http://scic.cec.eu.int/scic/owa/WEB_MTKF.reg_form?confID=3D04TRADETRIPS.
> Deadline for registrations: 4 June 2004.
> A confirmation letter will be sent to all participants registered by
> this deadline.
> The conference language is English.
> 6.Web streaming
> The conference will be broadcast worldwide via the Internet (see
> Conference Web-page).
> 7.Fees
> There are no registration fees for this conference. 8.Lunch
> The European Commission invites participants to lunch at the conference
> venue on 24 June.
> 9.Cocktail
> Participants are invited to a cocktail on 23 June 2004 immediately after
> the afternoon session.
> 10.Travel and accommodation
> Participants have to organise their own travel and accommodation; the
> European Commission will not reimburse these expenses. 11.Organisation
> European Commission
> Directorate General for Interpretation
> B-1049 Brussels
> Contact: Mrs T. Sepp=E4 or Mrs. C. Cordie
> Office: DM-24 1/74 or 1/107
> Fax: +32.2.299.19.71 or +32.2.296.49.86
> E-mail: tuula.seppa@cec.eu.int  or christine.cordie@cec.eu.int
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Ecommerce@lists.essential.org
> http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/ecommerce

Regards,
--
Jeffrey A. Williams
Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 134k members/stakeholders strong!)
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