IP: From Gligor: Global Internet Copyright Treaty Enters Into Force

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

From: "U.S. Dept of State List Manager" <Listmgr () PD STATE GOV>
Reply-To: listmgr () PD STATE GOV
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 21:45:25 -0500
To: WF-EUROPE () LISTS STATE GOV
Subject: Text: Global Internet Copyright Treaty Enters Into Force

Text: Global Internet Copyright Treaty Enters Into Force

(WIPO pact protects rights of authors in cyberspace) (580)

An international treaty negotiated in 1996 to protect authors' copyrights
on the Internet came into force March 6.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty (WCT)
is one of a pair of treaties negotiated by 160 countries to protect
against Internet piracy. The second pact, the WIPO Performances and
Phonograms Treaty (WPPT), covers sound recordings and will come into force
on May 20.

The treaties become law three months after they are ratified by 30
countries. Gabon became the 30th country to join the WCT in December 2001.
Honduras became the 30th country to join the WPPT on February 20, 2002.

Both pacts are designed to bring intellectual property law into the
digital age by preventing unauthorized copying or use of work and to
ensure the payment of royalties. In a statement, WIPO Director General
Kamil Idris emphasized the importance of the new norms provided for in the
WCT and the WPPT which, he said, "are vital for the further development of
the Internet, electronic commerce and thereby the culture and information
industries."

The 30 parties to the WCT are: Argentina, Belarus, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador, Gabon, Georgia, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Moldova, Romania,
Saint Lucia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the United States.

Following is the text of the WIPO statement:

(begin text)

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Geneva, March 6, 2002
WCT Enters Into Force

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty
(WCT), one of two key treaties that will bring copyright law in line with
the digital age, entered into force on March 6, 2002.  The second of these
so-called "Internet treaties", the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty
(WPPT), enters into force on May 20, 2002.  The treaties lay down the
legal groundwork to safeguard the interests of creators in cyberspace and
open new horizons for composers, artists, writers and others to use the
Internet with confidence to create, distribute and control the use of
their works within the digital environment.

The Director General of WIPO, Dr. Kamil Idris, welcomed this important
development in the history of copyright law.  He emphasized the importance
of the new norms provided for in the WCT and the WPPT which, he said, are
vital for the further development of the Internet, electronic commerce and
thereby the culture and information industries.  The treaties were agreed
in 1996 and become law three months after they are ratified by 30 states.
Gabon became the 30th country to join the WCT last December.  Honduras
became the 30th state to join the WPPT on February 20, 2002.

To be truly effective, the Director General stressed, the treaties must
become widely adopted by countries in all regions of the world.  "While we
have reached the key number of 30 countries required for entry into force,
I urge all other countries to follow suit and to incorporate the
provisions of the WCT and WPPT into their national legislation.  This will
create the conditions necessary for the broad-based and legitimate
distribution of creative works and recordings on the Internet," he said.

For more information about the WCT, please consult PR/300/2001 or contact
the Media Relations & Public Affairs Section at WIPO:

Tel: +41 22 338 81 61 or 338 95 47; Fax: + 41 22 338 88 10; E-mail:
publicinf () wipo int

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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