Post Tagged with: "USTR"

Why Canada Does Not Belong on the U.S. Piracy Watchlist

In what has become an annual rite of spring, each April the U.S. government releases its Special 301 report – often referred to as the Piracy Watch List – which claims to identify countries with sub-standard intellectual property laws. Canada has appeared on this list for many years alongside dozens of countries. In fact, over 70% of the world’s population is placed on the list and most African countries are not even considered for inclusion.

While the Canadian government has consistently rejected the U.S. list because it “basically lacks reliable and objective analysis”, this year I teamed up with Public Knowledge to try to provide the U.S. Trade Representative Office with something a bit more reliable and objective. Public Knowledge will appear at a USTR hearing on Special 301 today. In addition, last week we participated in meetings at the U.S. Department of Commerce and USTR to defend current Canadian copyright law and the proposed reforms.

The full submission on Canadian copyright is available here. It focuses on four main issues: how Canadian law provides adequate and effective protection, how enforcement is stronger than often claimed, why Canada is not a piracy haven, and why Bill C-11 does not harm the interests of rights holders (critics of Bill C-11 digital lock rules will likely think this is self-evident). The section challenging the piracy haven claims states the following:

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February 23, 2012 28 comments News

KEI on Canada’s Entry to TPP Negotiations

KEI has responded to the USTR’s request for comment on Canada’s proposed entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. Its response identifies several issues including concerns over the inclusion of copyright term in the agreement.

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January 12, 2012 Comments are Disabled News

U.S. Pressures Spain Into SOPA Style Law

Canadians are familiar with U.S. pressure on intellectual property laws, but it is worth remembering that we are not alone. The latest target is Spain, with new revelations of U.S. threats of retaliation if Spain did not pass U.S. backed copyright rules.

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January 6, 2012 1 comment News

New Zealand Angry Over US IP Watch List

Add New Zealand to the growing list of countries upset over this year’s USTR Special 301 list. Opposition politicians and independent academics view the placement as gearing up for the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations and an attempt to increase drug prices in the country.

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May 10, 2011 Comments are Disabled News

Israel Reacts Angrily to Inclusion on US IP Watch List

Israel has reacted angrily to its inclusion on the U.S. Special 301 Watch List. One report quotes a government official as saying the inclusion is “designed to force the country to make concessions beyond those agreed between Jerusalem and Washington” adding the “United States was violating bilateral agreements by putting […]

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May 5, 2011 Comments are Disabled News