[Ecommerce] Managing Information: WIPO Accelerates Work On Protection Of Broadcasting Organisations

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

http://www.managinginformation.com/news/content_show_full.php?id=3D3333

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/ 24 November 2004
/ * WIPO Accelerates Work On Protection Of Broadcasting Organisations*

Member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
advanced towards development of a treaty to update intellectual property
standards for broadcasters in the digital age, at a meeting of the
twelfth session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related
Rights (SCCR) in Geneva from November 17 to 19, 2004.

Delegates made substantial progress in narrowing differences on key
issues contained in a Revised Consolidated Text of treaty proposals and
member states called for accelerated progress towards conclusion of the
Treaty.

Noting the central role of broadcasting in developing countries, SCCR
Chairman, Mr. Jukka Liedes of Finland, said that "Broadcasters are
motors of social, economic and cultural development. Last week=92s
progress in the SCCR session is quite promising, as member states=92
positions showed increased flexibility and a will to move forward
towards the formal treaty negotiation process."

Under the Chair=92s Conclusions, consultation meetings will be organized
by the secretariat over the next few months in Geneva and in regions
where requested by member states. The Chair will prepare a second
Revised Version of the Consolidated Text and a working paper to address
whether and how protection should extend to webcasters, entities that
transmit over the Internet either directly or as an adjunct to
traditional broadcasting activities.

Consensus is also sought on the scope and duration of rights under the
Treaty. Some delegations seek to limit protection to the rights needed
to fight signal piracy. On duration of rights, support was shown for a
term of protection of 20 years. Proposals of most member states call for
a 50-year term of protection.

"Most member states are confident that differences on these key issues
can be narrowed in the final negotiating process. The next session of
the Standing Committee will take into account the progress made in
regional consultations, paving the way for the adoption of a new
treaty," said Mrs. Rita Hayes, Deputy Director General who oversees
WIPO=92s work in the copyright field.

Updating the IP rights of broadcasters, currently provided by the 1961
Rome Convention on the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms
and Broadcasting Organizations, began at WIPO in 1997. A growing signal
piracy problem in many parts of the world, including piracy of digitized
pre-broadcast signals, has made this need more acute.

In a move applauded by consumer and user groups, the SCCR agreed to
place on the agenda of the next session of the SCCR an item proposed by
Chile concerning exceptions and limitations to rights for the purposes
of education, libraries and disabled persons.

Before the SCCR, an information session on the protection of audiovisual
performances took place, featuring a presentation by Professor Andr=E9
Lucas from Nantes University, France, on the transfer of rights of
audiovisual performers to producers. Numerous delegations, and
representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations
expressed interest in making headway on outstanding issues left over
from the Diplomatic Conference on the protection of audiovisual
performances in December 2000