Must Reads

• Civil Society Groups Warn on ACTA and Access To Medicines

  Civil society groups have written to the European Commission warning about the impact of ACTA on access to medicines. The letter cites numerous concerns based on the July leaked text.  The next meeting will be a private meeting in August between the EU and the US as they attempt to sort out their differences on the scope of the treaty. The next round is scheduled for September in Japan. Jul.29/10Comments (0)

• University of Ottawa Press Launches Open Access Collection

  The University of Ottawa Press has launched a new open access collection, making 36 books available as free downloads.  The books will continue to be available for sale in paper form. Jul.28/10Comments (1)

• Industry Canada on US IP Watch List

  An Industry Canada spokesperson on the validity of the USTR Special 301 list:
  
  "Canada does not recognize the validity of the Special 301 process, which relies on industry allegations rather than empirical evidence and analysis."
  
  Note that the article says I said that Canada did not need to pass anti-circumvention laws in order to comply with the WIPO Internet treaties.  As anyone who had read my stuff knows, that is not my position.  There is no doubt that anti-circumvention rules are needed to comply.  The issue is the degree of flexibility within those provisions, not whether provisions are needed. Jul.28/10Comments (2)

• Next ACTA Meeting "Intercessional Meeting" Not Formal Round

  David Hammerstein reports that the next series of ACTA talks will be an "intercessional meeting" in Washington starting on August 16, 2010.  The talks will not be treated as a formal round, which has the effect of decreasing transparency since no agenda or statement will be released. Jul.27/10Comments (0)

• British Library on Copyright: Help or Hindrance?

  The British Library has released a new report that includes a dozen short contributions reflecting on whether copyright helps or hinders from a research perspective.  The contributions include several suggestions for extending the British fair dealing provision. Jul.26/10Comments (3)

• CRTC Launches Consultation on Basic Service

  The CRTC has launched a new public consultation on basic access, including a YouTube video designed to generate broader participation.  The consultation, which is part of a broader proceeding, includes five questions on telephone, wireless, and Internet services.  The deadline for submission is August 10, 2010. Jul.26/10Comments (2)

• Government Launches Consultation on Foreign Ownership in Book Publishing and Distribution

  The government has launched a new public consultation that opens the door to changes to the foreign investment restrictions in the book publishing, distribution, and retail sectors. Jul.21/10Comments (1)

• Dutch Government Ministers Renew Call for ACTA Transparency

  The Dutch Ministers of Justice and Economic Affairs have renewed their call for ACTA transparency, expressing disappointment in the recent decision not to release the latest text (which leaked days later). Jul.21/10Comments (0)

• KEI on ACTA's "Other Remedies"

  KEI has an excellent post that examines how ACTA Article 2.3 on "Other Remedies" may conflict with the laws of several European countries. Jul.21/10Comments (1)

• B.C. Online Gaming Site Suffers Privacy Breach

  The B.C. government's new online gaming site was hit with a privacy breach on its very first day of operation. Jul.21/10Comments (0)