[Random-bits] CSC intervention at the WIPO SCCR

[James Love]

This was Michelle Childs intervention today on behalf of the Civil 
Society Coalition.

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Civil Society Coalition (CSC, Ms. Michelle Childs):

Thank you Mr. Chairman,  As this is our first opportunity to take the
floor, welcome your election.

Three points :

1. We are not convinced there is evidence that broadcasting
organizations face problems with piracy that could not be addressed with
existing treaties

We believe the proposed treaty is designed balanced to create new rights
for broadcasters to exploit works at the expense of copyright owners and
public domain. They say we should rely on them and trust them: that is
not balanced, that is capitulation. We do not agree with that view.

We believe that this treaty should not be extended to the internet.   It
is not the purview of one company to ask for special consideration at
this forum.

2.  The internet presents the best opportunity ever to provide access to
knowledge for scholars, researchers, scientists etc. Everyone is
empowered by the vast sea of free information that is now available.
This proposal to create new and never-tested rights is for special
interests, who wish to claim rights over works that are currently freely
available.

The treaty cretes a new layer of rights that could be exercised even in
the case the creator does not want it. It is not necessary to create
these rights to disseminate digital works. As we have heard, there are
many technology firms who do not agree with this extension. it is not
the purview of one company to ask this forum for special protection.

3. We would like to ask why these proposals are being pushed forward
when the development agenda has not been in the same way. The treaty is
a threat to the development agenda. The committee needs to reassess its
priorities. There are more pressing issues: why are we just looking at
property rights that restrict access to knowledge, when we should be
looking at proposals that extend access to knowledge?

WIPO has also been asked to examine impact on consumers of innovation.
Yet articles 16 and 17 suggest these measures continued when there has
been no timetable for a review of the effect of TPMs. There have been
continuing problems with TPMs, and we urge the commitee to set out a
clear timetable for a study to look at the effects on consumers of TPM.
and we urge the  commitee to set a timetable for a treaty on access to
knowledge.

This treaty is not compatible with the spirit of the Develeopment
Agenda.







-- 
James Love | Consumer Project on Technology
http://www.cptech.org | mailto:james.love@cptech.org
P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 200036
voice +1.202.387.8030 | fax +1.202.234.5176