+ Union for the Public Domain - +

Union for the Public Domain (UPD) is a non-profit citizens group. Our mission is to protect and enhance the public domain in matters ...

Last Update: Sat Sep 30 07:13:39 2006

+ UPD Statement on Chilean Proposal Supporting the Public Domain + Below is the statement Judit Rius Sanjuan presented at the WIPO Provisional Committee on Development Agenda (PCDA) representing [...] to, the contents of the public domain, and (iii) consider the protection of the public domain within WIPO’s normative processes.

+ Negotiations open on WIPO Development Agenda + The first meeting of the WIPO Provisional Committee for Proposals Related to a Development Agenda (PCDA) meets from 20 February to [...] Human Rights Can Support Proposals for a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Development Agenda . To be continued...

+ Letter to US Congress on WIPO Broadcast Treaty + 13 October 2005 Dear Senators Bill Frist, Harry Reid, Arlen Specter, Patrick J. Leahy, and Representatives Dennis Hastert, Nancy [...] even the most basic issues, including, for example, the impact of the treaty on the Internet, or the required changes in U.S. law.

+ Update from WIPO IIM-3 + Update from Geneva WIPO IIM-3: Day 1 The third Inter-Sessional Intergovernmental Meeting on a Development Agenda for WIPO began [...] to consider measures designed to improve the participation of civil society and public interest NGOs in WIPO activities'.

+ Brazil and U.S. Spar Over Access to Knowledge Treaty + IP-Watch reports that the U.S. is opposing a proposal by Brazil for WIPO to negotiate an access to knowledge treaty. The report ...

+ Our man in Geneva + UPD board member Shyamkrishna Balganesh is representing Union for the Public Domain in Geneva for this week's Development [...] to post coverage of the developments in Geneva, and content from the previous incarnation of the site is still accessible.

+ Updates on the WIPO Development Agenda + Advocates of a development agenda at WIPO, including Union for the Public Domain and its allies, made significant headway at a [...] two proposals are also on the listserv. Becky Hogge's interview with Cory Doctorow sums it all up very nicely.

+ U.S. circulating paper to narrow the Development Agenda + Copyright reports that the U.S. is now circulating a paper that suggests narrowing the goals of the WIPO development agenda to an [...] Partnership Program", an Internet-based database to bring together "donors and recipients of IP development assistance."

+ DRM's effect on access to knowledge in the developing world + EFF's Cory Doctorow has written a groundbreaking paper on how DRM will undermine access to knowledge in the developing [...] today. In more than a decade of extensive use, DRM has never once accomplished its goal. UPD was a co-signer to the report.

+ Democracy Struggles at WIPO + This is your WIPO Democracy Update: The group of fourteen developing nations that introduced the Development Agenda [...] experts." Union for the Public Domain has applied for accreditation to attend these meetings and is waiting for a response.

+ Public interest NGOs shut out of WIPO meetings + Civil society NGOs are up in arms over WIPO's recent announcement that WIPO will not allow "ad hoc" observers to participate [...] and transmit notes on negotiations over the WIPO Broadcasters' Treaty. More on this at LawMeme and Copyfight ...

+ UPD Supports "Eyes on the Prize" Screenings + The Union for the Public Domain board has passed a resolution in support of Downhill Battle's campaign to organize screenings [...] by it on private parties. For more info contact updinfo at public-domain dot org See Downhill Battle for more background,

+ U.S. to get new IP czar + Slashdot reports : tetraminoe writes "Reuters is reporting that Congress's latest spending bill provides for the [...] (NIPLAC), created in the '90s and never funded. NIPLAC will work to protect American IP overseas and oversee enforcement."

+ U.S. corporates trying to disable your record button + From Eric Hellweg at Technology Review: Is 'Fair Use' in Peril? ... Do you like [...] omnibus bill sitting on Congress's desk passes, that may be the choice you'll face. [more after the break]

+ Broadcasters Try to Steal More of the Public Domain, This Week at WIPO + UPDATE : Notes on the proceedings from all three days are now posted at http://www.public-domain.org/?q=node/view/66 [...] them to take a stand against this treaty. (For more details on the treaty, see: http://www.public-domain.org/node/view/47 )