The Global Enforcement Agenda of copyright, patents and other IPRs Some consumer perspectives

Wednesday 10th June, 2009
15:00 – 18:00

Venue: Hotel Radisson, 35 rue d'Idalie, 1050 Brussels

The TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) and Health Action International Europe (HAI-E) are happy to announce a public meeting on the issue of enforcement of copyright, trademark, patents and other intellectual property rights. The issue is part of a complex and important area of public policy that touches on personal privacy, civil rights, freedom, social and economic development, and plethora of other issues.
The European Union and the United States are engaged in extensive efforts to shape global norms for the enforcement of copyright, trademarks, patents and other intellectual property rights. These discussions are taking place in multilateral, bilateral and unilateral fora. The proposals that are under consideration would in important areas be significant departures from the norms of the recently negotiated World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). In that respect, the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiation lacks transparency and legitimacy, and needs safeguards for consumers.

Such policies raise concerns considering the delicate balance of rights and exceptions put in place by the international copyright law “acquis” and public health principles, including access to medicines.The meeting will include a discussion with respondents from the European Commission and from the European Parliament.
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Speakers:
James Love, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) Washington, DC Office and US co-Chair of the TACD Working Group on Intellectual Property
Eddan Katz, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), San Francisco, US
Kostas Rossoglou, BEUC (European Consumer Organisation), Brussels
Alexandra Heumber, EU Advocacy Liaison Officer for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Brussels
Peter Maybarduk, Essential Action, Washington, DC, US
Henrique Choer Moraes, Permanent Mission of Brazil to the European Communities, Brussels

Moderator:
Sophie Bloemen, Health Action International European (HAI-E)