OECD Holds Ground On Strong IP Internet Policy Principles

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) today published a communiqué on principles for internet policy-making slanted toward intellectual property enforcement after fending off efforts by public interest groups to soften some of its edges.

Publication of the communiqué [pdf] came before the close of a high-level meeting on the internet economy in Paris. The slant took some by surprise as the OECD had previously been seen as fairly neutral on the issue of IP rights.

The principles include public policy efforts to foster infrastructure build-out and promote a multistakeholder model for governance and codes of conduct to address challenges.

The principles regarding intermediary liability and IPR protection were criticised by the Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) immediately before the publication of the principles document. No agreement could be found on some of the CSISAC concerns in last-minute talks today, leaving it unsigned by them.

The Internet Technical Advisory Council (ITAC) issued a statement, available here. The BIAC (the advisory council of industry to the OECD) signed the communiqué.