The U.S. Trade Representative issued a release just prior to the launch of the New Zealand round of ACTA negotiations that has left no doubt that the U.S. is the biggest barrier to official release of the ACTA text. The full text of the release is couched in terms of […]
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Radio New Zealand Interview on ACTA
While in Wellington, I sat in the Radio New Zealand studio for a lengthy discussion on ACTA issues. The segment, about 25 minutes in length, can be accessed here.
The Wellington Declaration on ACTA: Sign Today
This weekend I had the opportunity to deliver a keynote address at PublicACTA, a full-day event on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement held in Wellington, New Zealand just in advance of the next round of ACTA talks that run all this week in the city. The event was a model to […]
The Final Copyright Consultation Numbers: No Repeat Of Bill C-61
The copyright consultation concluded last fall and it seems worth reminding Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore and Industry Minister Tony Clement what Canadians had to say when they asked for their opinion on copyright reform. It has taken some time to calculate the final numbers as the government conducted a review to ensure that all were properly posted. There were ultimately more than 8,300 submissions – more than any government consultation in recent memory – with the overwhelming majority rejecting Bill C-61 (6138 submissions against, 54 in support), while thousands called for flexible fair dealing and a link between copyright infringement and anti-circumvention rules.
The Economist on Copyright: Shorter Terms, Expanded Fair Use
The Economist has a must-read editorial on copyright, arguing that the law has swung too far toward being restrictive. It argues for shortened copyright terms, renewal requirements, and expanded fair use.