Issue 303 -December 12, 2006

Copyright Office and PTO Invite Participation in Roundtable on Proposed WIPO Broadcasting Treaty

The Copyright Office and the Patent and Trademark Office announce a public roundtable discussion, to take place on January 3, 2007, in Alexandria, Virginia, concerning the work at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) on a proposed Treaty on the Protection of the Rights of Broadcasting Organizations. Participants should be prepared to identify and discuss the issues and problems associated with the Revised Draft Basic Proposal for the Treaty. At the September 2006 WIPO General Assembly, the decision was taken to convene two special sessions of the SCCR to clarify the outstanding issues, the first one in January 2007. The special sessions of the SCCR shall aim to reach agreement on, and finalize, a signal-based approach, the objectives, specific scope, and object of protection with a view to submitting to a possible November 2007 Diplomatic Conference a revised basic proposal that will amend the agreed relevant parts of the Revised Draft Basic Proposal (Document SCCR/15/2). Members of the public are invited to attend the roundtable, but due to space limitations, attendance is limited to the first 40 respondents. Those wishing to participate in the discussion on the topics outlined in the Federal Register notice should submit requests to participate, preferably by email or fax. (Read further information.)