Michael Geist sez,
Questions about ACTA [ed: the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, a secret and punishing copyright treaty under negotiation in Gudalara right now] typically follow a familiar pattern – what is it, do you have evidence, why is this secret, followed by what would ACTA do to my country's laws? This fourth question is the subject of this post, Part Four of the ACTA Guide. The answer is complex since the impact of ACTA will differ for each participating country: some will require limited reforms, others very significant reforms, and yet others (particularly those not even permitted to participate) complete overhauls of their domestic laws.
That is not the answer that the participating countries have been providing. Instead, most have sought to dampen fears by implausibly claiming that ACTA will not result in any domestic changes in their own country. Of course, if all of this is true, skeptics might reasonably ask why ACTA is needed at all.
The truth is that ACTA will require changes in many countries that ratify the agreement. The EU Commissioner-designate for the Internal Market, Michel Barnier, recently acknowledged precisely that during hearings in Brussels. Meanwhile, U.S. lobby groups have stated that they view ACTA as a mechanism to pressure Canada into new copyright reforms.
ACTA Guide: Part Four: What Will ACTA Mean To My Domestic Law?
(Thanks, Michael!)
- ACTA: the leaked secret memos Boing Boing
- Interactive timeline of secret copyright treaty Boing Boing
- Why is the secret copyright treaty a secret? Boing Boing
- Action – Boing Boing
- Follow the secret copyright treaty negotiations in Mexico Boing Boing
- Secret copyright treaty debated in DC: must-see video Boing Boing
