A recent US court decision introduces entirely new questions about the balance between a transformative work and a copyright infringement. It also places the responsibility of balancing the public interest in freedom of expression against the interests of rights holders squarely in the hands of the court, writes Leslee Friedman.
Brazil is actively engaged in a cutting-edge debate over reform of its copyright law, involving issues such as the abuse of copyright holders and constructive exceptions in the law (like copying for education and/or transformative purposes and authorisation to copy by libraries and museums to preserve their works). But the government needs to hear from all interested parties – especially the artists – and avoid letting the debate transform into a political-ideological discussion, writes Brazilian lawyer Manuela Correia Botelho Colombo.Intellectual Property Watch
14 March 2005
U.S. Seeks “High Level” IP Agreements In Middle East
Washington, D.C.–U.S. trade negotiators working toward bilateral free trade agreements with Middle Eastern countries are seeking to maintain the same level of intellectual property rights protection achieved in other bilateral deals, a U.S. trade official said Monday.
“We want to have high standards” on intellectual property, Catherine Novelli, assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Mediterranean, said in a telephone press briefing. The agreements the United States has negotiated so far contain “high level” provisions on intellectual property rights, she said, adding, “We would expect these to be the same.”
High quality intellectual property provisions not only benefit the United States, but they are good for those countries that want to be able to attract high-tech, high-quality jobs, she said.
Novelli spoke at the conclusion of the first round of separate bilateral negotiations with Oman and the United Arab Emirates, which she is leading.
She said progress with the two nations was so rapid that they expect to conclude and sign the agreements by year’s end if not sooner. With Oman, agreement has been reached on some aspects of the proposed treaty text tabled by the United States, Novelli said, though she would not specify which areas were under agreement already. Labor provisions also are expected to be the same too, she said.
The larger U.S. goal is to have an overarching regional trade agreement by 2013, and each of the individual bilateral agreements is seen as a step toward that goal. Each agreement turns out differently, depending on the situation of each country. With Egypt, Qatar and Kuwait, expert-to-expert meetings are being held on specific areas, Novelli said, adding that the Bush administration hopes to get approval for its agreement with Bahrain this summer. She did not rule out Israel being part of the agreement eventually.
If the region were counted as a whole, it would be the United States’ seventh-largest trading partner, she said.
The second round with Oman is scheduled for April 18, with the United Arab Emirates in the week to follow.
Categories: Bilateral/Regional Negotiations, US Policy
