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FTAA Treaty Threatens Innovation

Posted by simoniker on from the we-like-innovation dept.

The Importance of writes "IP Justice has published a white paper on the intellectual property aspects of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) treaty, which is an attempt to create a single free trade agreement for the Western Hemisphere. Read the press release. The analysis is pretty devastating. The proposed language of the agreement has a number of serious flaws, including (but certainly not limited to) enhanced criminal penalties, a super-DMCA provision, reduced scope for fair use, and database protection elements. The proposed treaty is supposed to be complete by January 2005 and go into effect December 2005. Now is not too early to let your representatives and others know what a bad idea the intellectual property elements of the treaty are."

4 of 386 comments (clear)

  1. total information lockdown by joeldg · · Score: 4, Funny
    It will require all countries to change their domestic laws on a wide range of topics, including intellectual property rights.


    All your mind are belong to us..

    just great.. now we will have mexican's filing patents for velcro.

    --
    anime+manga together at last.. in real time.
    1. Re:total information lockdown by realkiwi · · Score: 2, Funny

      Velcro is a French invention

      --
      realkiwi
  2. Remember by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Remember: When you contact your representative, do NOT e-mail. Congressmen do not take e-mails seriously. E-mailing tells the congressman that you don't care enough about the issue to actually sit down and put effort into your contact.

    There is only one way to actually get your congressman's attention: A good, old-fashioned letter, with $10,000 in hundred-dollar bills paper clipped to it. Please keep this in mind and act accordingly.

  3. Obligatory Simpsons Reference by mopslik · · Score: 2, Funny

    In typical fashion, special interests are attaching their wish lists to an initiative that seems to have a good chance of becoming law.

    Congressman 1: "Then it is unanimous. We are going to approve the bill to evacuate the town of Springfield in the great state of..."
    Congressman 2: "Wait a second, I want to tack on a rider to that bill. Thirty million dollars of taxpayer money to support the perverted arts."
    Congressman 1: "All in favor of the amended Springfield-slash-Pervert bill?"
    (jeers and boos)
    Congressman 1: "Bill defeated."