[Ecommerce] Consumers International report: Copyright is pricing consumers out of knowledge

[Luke Upchurch]

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Copyright is pricing consumers out of knowledge


New report finds WIPO is failing the world's poorest consumers


<?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:offic=
e" />Available to download at www.consumersinternational.org





The worldwide federation of consumer organisations, Consumers International=
 (CI), has condemned WIPO technical assistance as 'thoroughly inadequate', =
and is demanding a wholesale review of the organisation's legislative advic=
e to developing countries.



The criticism comes as Consumers International publishes the findings of it=
s study into the copyright laws of 11 Asian countries, released to coincide=
 with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) development agend=
a summit in Geneva (20-24 February).



The 'Copyright and Access to Knowledge'* report finds that all 11 countries=
, including China, India and Malaysia, have given copyright owners far more=
 protection than the intellectual property treaties they have signed up to =
require.



As a result, copyrighted educational materials in these countries are expen=
sive and consumers are being priced out of access to knowledge. Imported bo=
oks are prohibitively priced. When considered in terms of GDP for instance,=
 selling students a book at US $27 in Indonesia is equivalent to selling it=
 to students in the US at  US$1,048 **



The report concludes that WIPO is failing to provide developing countries w=
ith the technical assistance they need to take advantage of copyright exemp=
tions and limitations written into international IP treaties. In doing so, =
WIPO is tacitly supporting the unfair IP demands of governments and busines=
ses in the developed world at the expense of consumers in poorer nations.



Richard Lloyd, Director General of Consumers International said:

'In order to develop, poorer nations need access to affordable learning mat=
erials. Yet immense pressure from the developed world has meant many of the=
 copyright laws in these countries are tougher than they need to be. This m=
eans consumers are being priced out of the opportunity to learn. WIPO must =
support its developing world member states and provide them with the techni=
cal assistance they need to effectively implement their rights under intern=
ational law. '





-------------------------------------



 *'Copyright and Access to Knowledge' (2006) is published by Consumers Inte=
rnational's Asia Pacific Office. It examines the copyright laws in Bhutan, =
Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua Ne=
w Guinea, the Philippines and Thailand. Available to download at www.consum=
ersinternational.org



**When a student in Indonesia pays US$27 for  International Accounting (5th=
 Edition) by Frederick D.S. Choi, Gary K Meek, it is equivalent to a studen=
t in the US paying US$1,048 for the same book in GDP per capita terms and U=
S$302 when compared using the GDP per capita calculated at purchasing power=
 parity (PPP) exchange rate.

Luke Upchurch
Press Officer
Consumers International
24 Highbury Crescent
London N5 1RX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 788 767 7930
Fax: +44 20 7354 0607
www.consumersinternational.org <http://www.consumersinternational.org/>

Consumers International is a federation of consumer organisations dedicated=
 to the protection and promotion of consumer's rights worldwide through emp=
owering national consumer groups and campaigning at the international level=
. It currently represents over 230 organisations in 113 countries. For more=
 information, see: www.consumersinternational.org



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