September 2, 2011
From KEI staff review of Wikileaks cables (/wikileaks)
This is a US Department of State cable reporting on the WIPO SCCR 17 meeting, which took place November 3-7, 2008. This was the first meeting focusing primarily on copyrigh limitations and exceptions, and also, the meeting where the World Blind Union first presented its proposal for a treaty.
Among the observations reported in the cable:
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) divides its norm setting work among several committees. The 17th meeting of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) met last week, and considered several topics, including the first in-depth effort to consider a work program on limitations and exceptions for copyright. This work program, first proposed formally by Chile (SCCR/13/5) among WIPO member states, is a work in progress. Continue Reading
Two quick points about the WIPO press release for SCCR 17:
1. The press release does not mention the term “trans-border” (a reference to export and import), even though this was referred to in the context of L&E for distance education in the SCCR conclusions. Clearly the EU opposition to the New Zealand text on “application to the international exchange of materials in accessible formats” made an impression on the WIPO Secretariat.
WIPO has just released at 8:50 am, “draft conclusions of the SCCR.”
The section on limitations and exceptions was good in some areas, for example, when the committee “stressed the importance of the forthcoming study on exceptions and limitations for the benefit of educational activities, including distance education and the trans-border aspect therof, and that it should include developing and least developed countries.”
Below is the final agreed upon text for the SCCR 17 on the issue of access for persons with reading disabilities. There are four sentences, in one paragraph.
This morning at the WIPO SCCR 17, the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO) has passed out a statement on the promotion of accessible reading materials for the blind in a trusted environment. The European Commission has pushed this hard in their morning intervention.
Basically, IFRRO is seeking to stop consideration of the WBU proposal for a treaty. They want to WIPO to “launch a platform of stakeholder consultations to develop a roadmap for ensuring access for the blind and visually impaired.”
These are the notes I used for my oral presentation today at the WIPO SCCR 17 discussion on copyright limitations and exceptions. Jamie
KEI supports the proposal by Brazil, Chile, Nicaragua and Uruguay for a SCCR work program on L&E, including information gathering, analysis and norm setting.
KEI supports the proposal for a survey on L&E.
In terms of studies, KEI agrees with CI that WIPO should undertake studies related to distance education and innovative services to complete the other WIPO studies.
I’m in Geneva at WIPO for the 17th SCCR meeting. The first two days have presentations of four WIPO studies of copyright limitations and exceptions. Each study gets a half day. The first presentation was by Sam Ricketson.
WIPO Study on Limitations and Exceptions of Copyright and Related Rights in the Digital Environment, (SCCR/9/7), April 5, 2003. prepared by Mr. Sam Ricketson, Professor of Law, University of Melbourne and Barrister, Victoria, Australia
The Ricketson presentation was very clear.
Following the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) which for much of its existence has endeavored to unsuccessfully hammer out a Treaty for the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations has provided a window into the human condition replete with incidents of humor, frustration and hope. Continue Reading