Momentum Builds in Talks on Updating Rights of Broadcasting Organizations
Geneva, May 8, 2006
Press Updates UPD/2006/274
Member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) agreed last week on a way forward in addressing questions relating to updating the rights of broadcasting organizations by following a parallel process in dealing with questions relating to traditional broadcasting and cablecasting organizations and the issues of webcasting and simulcasting. At the end of the week-long meeting in Geneva, from May 1 to 5, 2006, member states agreed to hold an additional meeting of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) ahead of the annual meeting of the WIPO General Assembly to further strengthen consensus on questions relating to the rights of traditional broadcasters and cablecasters. In that context the General Assembly in autumn 2006 would be able to recommend the convening of a diplomatic conference to conclude a treaty in 2007. Member states agreed that the questions of webcasting and simulcasting would continue to be examined by a meeting of the SCCR after the General Assembly.
WIPO Deputy Director General, Mrs. Rita Hayes, who oversees WIPO's copyright activities, said "We are very pleased that member states have been able to agree on a framework to move forward in their work on these important questions. We are very encouraged by the constructive and cooperative spirit of the discussions which show a serious willingness on the part of the member states to find balanced solutions to these questions." "The transparent and inclusive character of the process will, I am confident, enable the further strengthening of consensus on these questions in the coming months," she added.
Discussions at last week's SCCR (14th Session) were based on a Draft Basic Proposal for the WIPO Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations Including Non-Mandatory Appendix on the Protection in Relation to Webcasting (document SCCR/14/2) and a Working Paper for the Preparation of the Basic Proposal for a Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations (SCCR/14/3) as well as additional submissions by the Governments of Colombia (SCCR/14/4) and Peru.
Delegates agreed that the next meeting of SCCR (15th session) will be confined to the protection of broadcasting organization and cablecasting organizations in the traditional sense and that discussions will be based on a revised draft basic proposal prepared on the basis of existing documents and proposals and taking into account discussions of the Committee. The SCCR also agreed that a revised proposal on the protection of webcasting and simulcasting would be prepared on the basis of the Basic Proposal (SCCR/14/2) and other existing proposals and taking into account last week's discussions. It was also agreed that the matter would be taken on the agenda of a meeting of the SCCR to be convened after the WIPO General Assembly.
Updating the IP rights of broadcasters, currently provided by the 1961 Rome Convention on the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations, began at WIPO in 1997. A growing signal piracy problem in many parts of the world, including piracy of digitized pre-broadcast signals, has made this need more acute.
For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section: Tel: (+41 22) 338 8161 or 338 9547 Fax: (+4122) 338 8280; E-mail: publicinf@wipo.int.