IDG covers the latest Dutch leak that reveals the transparency position of many ACTA participants. Particularly telling is the view that both France and Italy favour greater transparency, but fear U.S. retaliation.
Post Tagged with: "france"
French Report Recommends New Tax on Google
A French report has recommended instituting a new "Google tax" to support the music and publishing industries. The recommendation calls for a levy on all revenue generated from click-through advertising.
Legislators Worldwide Asking Questions About ACTA
Legislators around the world are demanding more information on the secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. French Deputy Nicolas Dupont-Aignan raised ACTA questions in the National Assembly late last year, expressing concerns about a global three-strikes and you're out approach, increased costs for medicines, and the lack of transparency associated with the process.
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden goes even further in a letter to the USTR this week that seeks answers to nearly a dozen questions about ACTA. Wyden asks about:
- possible constraints on domestic U.S. law reforms
- ensuring ACTA does not interfere with public health flexibilities in TRIPs
- the definition of counterfeit
- concerns about the inclusion of patents within ACTA
- the role of ISPs in ACTA
- whether increased monitoring of subscriber usage is envisioned by ACTA
- the privacy impact of ACTA
- details on border measures provisions
- third party liability for IP infringement
- possible commitments worldwide to comply with the DMCA
Wyden is not the first U.S. senator to raise questions about ACTA. Last year, Senators Bernie Sanders and Sherrod Brown also wrote to the USTR as did Senators Pat Leahy and Arlen Specter in 2008.
Three Strikes Law Takes Effect in France
Hadopi, the French three-strikes and you're out law, takes effect today. The law establishes a new state agency – the Higher Authority for the Distribution of Works and the Protection of Copyright on the Internet. Update: Several people have written to report that the law has been delayed by the […]
France To Spend $1.1 Billion Digitizing Its Works
The French government has committed $1.1 billion toward the digitization of French literary works. I wrote about the promise of Canada doing the same in 2005, for a fraction of that cost.
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