[Infowarrior] - ACTA trade agreement brief for July 29-31 Washington DC

[Richard Forno]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Wikileaks Press Office <press at wikileaks.org>
> Date: July 29, 2008 5:55:25 AM EDT
>
> WIKILEAKS URGENT DOCUMENT RELEASE
> Tue Jul 29 10:53:25 BST 2008
>
> ACTA trade agreement industry negotiating brief on Border Measures  
> and Civil Enforcement
>
> The ACTA negotiations are scheduled for 29 to 31 July 2008 in  
> Washington DC.
>
> In 2007 a select handful of the wealthiest countries began a treaty- 
> making process to create a new global standard for copyright,  
> trademark and patent enforcement, which was called, in a piece of  
> brilliant marketing, the "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement".
>
> ACTA is spearheaded by the United States, and includes the European  
> Commission, Japan, and Switzerland -- which have large copyright and  
> patent industries. Other countries invited to participate in ACTA's  
> negotiation process are Canada, Australia, Korea, Mexico and New  
> Zealand. Noticeably absent from ACTA's negotiations are leaders from  
> developing countries who hold national policy priorities that differ  
> from the international copyright and patent industry.
>
> This document is the ACTA negotiating brief dated July 29, 2008,  
> provided by the copyright/patent/trademark industry to negotiating  
> countries; pages concerning customs enforcement and civil enforcement.
>
> Under customs enforcement for example it proposes:
>
>    * Increased inspection of goods to detect potential shipments
>    * Customs to provide rights holders all relevant information for  
> the purposes of their own private investigations and court action  
> they are to be given a minimum of 20 working days to commence such  
> actions.
>    * Seized counterfeit goods are to be destroyed or disposed at the  
> rights holders pleasure. Removing a trademark will not cut it.
>    * Under civil enforcement rights holders will have more say on  
> the damages involved as well as more compensation to cover their  
> legal enforcement costs including "reasonable attorney's fees";.
>    * Rights holders to get the right to obtain information regarding  
> an infringer, their identities, means of production or distribution  
> and relevant third parties.
>
> The exact composition of the business "side" is not known, which  
> reflects the lack of transparency afflicting the ACTA process.  
> Whether trade representatives can be forced to reveal the make-up to  
> the press or policy groups remains to be seen.
>
> See http://wikileaks.org/wiki/S4
> _________________________________