[Ecommerce] Re: [A2k] more on dates for WIPO casting treaty and questions

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

Manon,

I will have to seek clarification from the International Bureau of the
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for your question as to
whether civil society groups can attend the "special" session on
November 21-22, 2005 to discuss "remaining issues" (paragraph 11,
WO/GA/32/5).

As you noted, the WIPO Secretariat appears confident that the time is
right to approve the convening of a Diplomatic Conference as evidenced
in the language of paragraph 7 of WO/GA/32/5 which states,

"[r]epresentatives from 75 Member States of WIPO participated in the
regional consultation meetings where they discussed substantive issues.
At these meetings conclusions were adopted expressing the opinion that
the convening of the Diplomatic Conference should proceed without any
further delay"...

Annex II of the WIPO secretariat document on broadcasting (WO/GA/32/5)
details the draft rules of procedure of a possible diplomatic conference
on the protection of broadcasting organizations.  This annex deals with
matters such as credentials, composition of the conference,  officers
and their election,  conduct of businesss, voting, status of observers,
and amement ments to the rules of procedure among other things.

Chapter VII of Annex II deals with open and closed meetings.

CHAPTER VIII:  OPEN AND CLOSED MEETINGS

"Rule 44:    Meetings of the Conference and of the Main Committees

The meetings of the Conference, meeting in Plenary, and of the Main
Committees shall be open to the public unless the Conference, meeting in
Plenary, or the interested Main Committee, decides otherwise.

Rule 45:    Meetings of Other Committees and of Working Groups

The meetings of the Credentials Committee, the Drafting Committee, the
Steering Committee and any working group shall be open only to the
members of the Committee or the working group concerned and to the
Secretariat".



Rule 46 of Chapter IX on the status of observers notes that,

"(2) Observer Organizations may attend the Plenary meetings of the
Conference and the meetings of the Main Committees. Upon the invitation
of the Presiding Officer, they may make oral statements in those
meetings on questions within the scope of their activities.

"(3) Written statements submitted by Observer Delegations or by Observer
Organizations on subjects for which they have a special competence and
which are related to the work of the Conference shall be distributed by
the Secretariat to the participants in the quantities and in the
languages in which the written statements were made available to it."

It appears from Annex III that only NGOs with permanent observer status
to WIPO (see pages 5-7 of Annex III, WO/GA/32/5) may attend the
Diplomatic Conference (if it is convened).


Thiru




Manon Ress wrote:

> Thiru,
>
> Thanks for posting the WIPO document regarding the broadcasting/
> cablecasting and webcasting treaty that is to be found at the General
> Assembly page NOT the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related
> rights page (see link below again).
>
> The WIPO report on the 6 regional consultations are interesting.  Do
> you also have input from civil society groups that were able to attend?
>
> Regarding the future of the diplomatic conference, it looks as if the
> WIPO secretariat is confident that the General Assembly will approve
> the convening of a diplomatic conference.
>
> Please note that the document also states that the Standing Committee
> on Copyright and related Rights will have a "special" session Nov
> 21-22,2005 to discuss "remaining issues".
>
> Do you know if civil society groups can attend special session?
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Manon
>
> here is the quote:
> 11.            It is proposed that the thirteenth session of the SCCR
> be convened before the Diplomatic Conference to discuss remaining
> issues.  This special session will be held from November 21 to 22, 2005.
>
>
> http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=49632
>
> ************************************************
> Manon Ress
> manon.ress@cptech.org
> www.cptech.org
>
> Consumer Project on Technology in Washington, DC USA
> Tel.:  +1.202.332.2670, Ext 16 Fax: +1.202.332.2673
>
> Consumer Project on Technology in Geneva, 1 Route des  Morillons, CP
> 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland. Tel: +41 22 791 6727
>
> Consumer Project on Technology in London, 24 Highbury Crescent,
> London, N5 1RX, UK. Tel:+44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252. Mob:+44(0)790 386
> 4642. Fax: +44(0)207 354 0607
>
>
>
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