Appeared in the Toronto Star on July 8, 2012 as Controversial Copyright Rules Threaten Canada – European Trade Deal In October 2007, several leading economies, including the U.S., European Union, and Canada, announced plans to negotiate the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Despite being shrouded in secrecy, ACTA details slowly began […]
Articles by: Michael Geist
cetaiprfeb2012
CETA IPR Chapter Feb 2012.pdf
The European Parliament Rejects ACTA: The Impossible Becomes Possible
On October 23, 2007, the U.S., E.U., Canada, and a handful of other countries announced plans to the negotiate the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. The behind-the-scenes discussions had apparently been ongoing for several years, leading some countries to believe that a full agreement could be concluded within a year to coincide […]
The Strategy Behind the U.S. Call For a Fair Use Provision in the TPP
For the first time in any U.S. trade agreement, the United States is proposing a new provision, consistent with the internationally-recognized “3-step test,” that will obligate Parties to seek to achieve an appropriate balance in their copyright systems in providing copyright exceptions and limitations for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. These principles are critical aspects of the U.S. copyright system, and appear in both our law and jurisprudence. The balance sought by the U.S. TPP proposal recognizes and promotes respect for the important interests of individuals, businesses, and institutions who rely on appropriate exceptions and limitations in the TPP region.
The USTR announcement was welcomed by civil society groups, though most noted that the specific text was not released and that it could actually create new limits on fair use. That is certainly a concern – release of the text is essential – but the attempt to export a U.S.-style fair use provision makes sense for several reasons.
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