Comments on South Africa’s Copyright Amendment Bill (B13-2017)
This is a partial collection of comments submitted to the South African Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry regarding the Copyright Amendment Bill. Please send additional comments to mpalmedo@wcl.american.edu, and I will them to the list. 1) Comments from civil society groups – Wikimedian South Africa, Documentary Filmmakers Association, South Africa Screen Federation, Media Monitoring Africa, Library and Information Association of South Africa, Joint Submission by the Global Expert Network on Copyright User Rights, Communia, Centrum Cyfrowe, and Creative Commons, Library Copyright Alliance, Australian Digital Alliance. 2) Comments from scholars – University of Cape Town IP Unit, Denise Nicholson, Jade Kouletakis, Peter Jaszi, Matt Sag, Mike Palmedo. Click here for the comments.
Drug Price Gouging: Int’l Union of Operating Engineers Stationary Engineers Local 39 Health & Welfare Trust Fund et al v. Celgene
[Zhao Zhao] On June 14th, 2017, the International Union of Operating Engineers Stationary Engineers Local 39 Health and Welfare Trust Fund, The Detectives’ Endowment Association, Inc., and David Mitchell (“Plaintiffs”) filed a class action antitrust complaint against Celgene Corporation (“Celgene”) over Celgene’s alleged exclusion of competition from the market for two drugs: thalidomide and lenalidomide. Celgene sells them under the brands Thalomid and Revlimid for treating leprosy and multiple myeloma. Click here for more.
Sen. Wyden: “NAFTA 2.0 Must Take a Balanced Approach to Copyright”
[Mike Palmedo] Inside U.S. Trade reports on a Capitol Hill event on digital trade and the NAFTA renegotation at which Sen. Wyden made the following remark regarding copyright: “NAFTA 2.0 must take a balanced approach to copyright that ensures the free flow of ideas around the world and allows American companies to continue to compete and win across the globe. Our agreements should enshrine a copyright system that looks to the future, not one that prevents computer researchers from doing their jobs or locks in restrictive copyright rules.” Click here for the full story on indidetrade.com.
Five Easy Ways for CULT MEPs to Help Fixing EU Copyright
[Communia Association] Tomorrow the Members of the Culture and Education Committee of the European Parliament (CULT) will vote on their position on the proposal on Copyright in the Digital Single Market directive. This will be the second vote in the European parliament after last month’s vote in the IMCO committee. While the CULT committee is nominally responsible for Culture and Education it seems rather likely that tomorrow’s vote will result in an one sided opinion that would support the key elements of the flawed directive, making them worse in many areas. Below is a quick rundown of what is on the table during tomorrow’s vote. We have listed voting recommendations for CULT MEPs interested in enacting real copyright reform that will foster Europe’s cultural and educational sectors. Click here for more.
New Report: Weakened Intermediary Liability Protections Will Cost 4.25 Million Jobs & Nearly Half A Trillion Dollars In Next Decade
[Internet Association] Today, Internet Association released a new analysis that found reducing intermediary liability safe harbor protections would cost the U.S. 4.25 million jobs and reduce GDP by nearly half a trillion dollars over the next decade. Conducted by NERA Economic Consulting, the report represents the first quantitative measure of the value of safe harbor laws that protect internet platforms from being liable for wrongdoing by others. “This first-of-its-kind report affirms the critical role intermediary liability laws play in driving U.S. economic growth, innovation, and the best online experience for consumers,” said Internet Association President & CEO Michael Beckerman. “Reducing these protections jeopardizes the growth of internet companies and their positive impact on the economy.” Click here for more.
EU Parliament Adopts Marrakesh Treaty; Blind Union Prepared To Fight Publisher ‘Compensation’
[Monika Ermert] The European Parliament today with over 600 votes adopted the legal instruments to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty on access to reading material for the visually impaired. The treaty, adopted by the members of the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2013 and effective since last year, has been subject of controversies due to lobbying from publishers in the European Union, members of Parliament said today in Strasbourg before the vote. EU member states after today’s vote have one year to implement. Click here for more.
