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[DMCA-Activists] AP on WIPO/Geneva Declaration
From: |
Seth Johnson |
Subject: |
[DMCA-Activists] AP on WIPO/Geneva Declaration |
Date: |
Thu, 30 Sep 2004 05:35:09 -0400 |
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [Random-bits] AP on WIPO debate
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2004 04:06:20 -0400
From: James Love <address@hidden>
To: address@hidden
For background on issue, see:
http://www.cptech.org/ip/wipo/genevadeclaration.html
AP story:
http://english.daralhayat.com/business/09-2004/Article-20040929-4b0e450b-c0a8-01ed-002c-03ff9bccd5b7/story.html
UN to Relax Protection for Intellectual Property to Help
Developing Countries
AP 2004/09/29
Geneva
The United Nations should relax protection for owners of
copyright, patents and trademarks and pay more attention to the
interests and needs of developing countries, a group of
activists said today.
Five hundred scientists, economists, legal experts and consumer
activists have signed a statement lending support to a proposal
by a group of developing countries to the UN body that oversees
intellectual property, the World Intellectual Property
Organization.
"This development agenda would involve a moratorium on the
negotiation of new treaties that hike intellectual property
protections, and redirecting the agency to a range of
initiatives more responsive to development and the concerns of
WIPO's critics," the signatories said in a statement.
WIPO's mission statement says it is "dedicated to helping to
ensure that the rights of creators and owners of intellectual
property are protected worldwide ... This international
protection acts as a spur to human creativity."
But campaigners claim WIPO, a specialist agency based in Geneva,
is blinkered and is only directed toward protecting the rich.
They say intellectual property protection should be a means to
promote innovation and creativity rather than an end in itself,
and that WIPO must evaluate the economic and social benefits of
protection rather than just enforcing the law.
For instance, the agency's copyright treaty, which came into
force in 2002, includes technological protection measures which
preclude "fair use of educational learning tools," harming the
interests of developing countries, said Thiru Balasubramaniam,
Geneva representative of the Washington-based Consumer Project
on Technology.
"In a lot of (WIPO) treaties, the U.S. norm becomes the
standard," Balasubramaniam said.
Brazil and Argentina tabled the development proposal, which is
being discussed at WIPO's general assembly this week. It calls
on the agency to consider the broad development goals of the
United Nations and not to limit itself to increasing protection
for intellectual property.
If accepted by WIPO's 181 member states, the proposal could lead
to a change in the agency's constitution.
"Today many developing countries are concerned that they have to
adhere to patent or copyright levels ... that are excessively
high," said Martin Khor of Third World Network, a nonprofit
organization which promotes the interests of developing
countries. "This is the right time to reconsider the role of
WIPO."
Other developing countries such as Iran, Kenya, South Africa and
Venezuela are expected to support the proposal.
"WIPO is working to maintain a balance between the interests of
the holders of intellectual property rights and those of the
public at large," WIPO spokeswoman Samar Shamoon said.
"The WIPO secretariat is entirely neutral on all proposals that
are presented by its member states for discussion," Shamoon told
The Associated Press, adding that "any decision taken by the
member states will be followed-up by the secretariat."
Most rich countries claim there is no need to discuss the
development agenda, said Julia Oliva of the Washington-based
Center for International Environmental Law.
There should be greater balance between the interests of poorer
countries and the owners of intellectual property, Oliva said.
"This balance is being skewed."
Since 1997, WIPO has introduced several measures which help to
protect the interests of developing countries. These include
creating a department concerned with rules for small and medium
enterprises and new rules on the protection of traditional
knowledge and folklore, issues of particular importance to the
Third World.
--
James Love | Consumer Project on Technology
http://www.cptech.org | mailto:address@hidden
P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 200036
voice +1.202.387.8030 | fax +1.202.234.5176
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